The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has suspended flying licence of two IndiGo pilots after they violated safety norms and Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) while landing at the Ahmedabad airport last month, a senior official said, as reported by the news agency PTI. The flying licence of the Pilot-in-Command has been suspended for three months and of the co-pilot for one month, the official added.
Earlier in June, an IndiGo aircraft operating its Bengaluru-Ahmedabad flight had suffered a tail strike while landing at the Ahmedabad airport, following which the DGCA launched a probe into the incident. Besides, it had ordered grounding of the two pilots till investigation into the incident was completed.
“On 15.06.2023, an Airbus 321 aircraft was involved in a tail strike while landing at Ahmedabad. DGCA investigation has revealed that the crew carried out the landing in deviation from established SOPs,” the official said on Wednesday, as quoted by PTI. Accordingly, both the crew members were issued a show cause notice by DGCA, he said.
"After examination of their replies and relevant facts of the matter, the licence of the PIC has been suspended for a period of 3 months and of co-pilot for a period of 1 month for violation of the provisions of the relevant Civil Aviation requirements and SOPs,” the DGCA official said, as quoted by PTI.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Indian aviation watchdog took off SpiceJet from its enhanced surveillance regime, according to a report by PTI. The airline, which has been facing multiple headwinds, was placed under enhanced surveillance recently.
Accordig to a senior DGCA official, in view of the observations made in the past concerning inadequate maintenance and in view of the incidents during the monsoon season last year, SpiceJet was placed under enhanced surveillance. "Accordingly 51 spot checks were conducted across 11 locations across India, on the Boeing 737 and Bombardier DHC Q-400 fleet of aircraft, where in a total 23 aircraft were inspected and 95 observations were made by the DGCA teams," the official said.
In view of the observations made in the past concerning inadequate maintenance and in view of the incidents during the monsoon season last year, Spicejet was placed under enhanced surveillance by DGCA. The findings were of routine nature and were not considered significant by the DGCA. "Suitable maintenance action was taken by the airline to address the findings in accordance with DGCA guidelines. As a consequence, SpiceJet has been taken off the enhanced surveillance regime by DGCA," the official said.
On July 11, PTI reported that the DGCA placed SpiceJet under the enhanced surveillance regime and on that day, the airline refuted any such development. When contacted, a SpiceJet spokesperson had said, "the information is absolutely incorrect and is strongly denied". No such communication has been received by the airline from the DGCA, the spokesperson had said in a statement on July 11.
Subscribe And Follow ABP Live On Telegram: https://t.me/officialabplive