MUMBAI: Taking action against SpiceJet for alleged deficiencies in pilot training, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) levied a penalty of twenty lakhs on the airline and suspended its head of training for a period of three months in two orders issued recently.
The issue pertains to the findings of a three day inspection of the airline’s main base in Gurugram carried out by the DGCA flight standard directorate in the last week of March. During the said inspection, the regulator found that SpiceJet was operating flights with pilots who hadn’t complied with the provisions of a certain norm that pertains to flight crew training and qualification requirements, said the October 13 order, issued by Ravindra Kumar, director, flight standard directorate .
The airline thereby violated the terms and conditions under which it had been granted an Air Operator Certificate, the document that permits the airline to operate commercial passenger flights. The DGCA then issued a show cause notice to the airline on July 17. The airline’s response was found to be unsatisfactory. The regulator said the airline’s accountable manager had failed in his duties and levied a penalty of Rs 20 lakh on SpiceJet, to be paid within 30 days.
In a second order issued on the same date, the DGCA said that during its March inspection they found that “several pilots had not undergone certain mandatory exercises during their pilot proficiency check and instrument rating check”. In a proficiency check, done twice a year, pilots have to demonstrate their competence in carrying out normal, abnormal and emergency procedures on each variant of a type of aircraft they fly. A second show cause notice followed and the airline’s response was again found unsatisfactory. The airline’s head of training had failed to ensure the compliance of the provisions pertaining to flight crew training, the order said.
SpiceJet did not respond to a query sent by TOI.
This isn’t the first time that SpiceJet has received a rap from the regulator. In July last year, the DGCA had imposed restrictions on SpiceJet allowing it to operate at only half its capacity for three months. The action came after a review of many incidents involving SpiceJet aircraft showed poor internal safety oversight and inadequate maintenance actions.
The issue pertains to the findings of a three day inspection of the airline’s main base in Gurugram carried out by the DGCA flight standard directorate in the last week of March. During the said inspection, the regulator found that SpiceJet was operating flights with pilots who hadn’t complied with the provisions of a certain norm that pertains to flight crew training and qualification requirements, said the October 13 order, issued by Ravindra Kumar, director, flight standard directorate .
The airline thereby violated the terms and conditions under which it had been granted an Air Operator Certificate, the document that permits the airline to operate commercial passenger flights. The DGCA then issued a show cause notice to the airline on July 17. The airline’s response was found to be unsatisfactory. The regulator said the airline’s accountable manager had failed in his duties and levied a penalty of Rs 20 lakh on SpiceJet, to be paid within 30 days.
In a second order issued on the same date, the DGCA said that during its March inspection they found that “several pilots had not undergone certain mandatory exercises during their pilot proficiency check and instrument rating check”. In a proficiency check, done twice a year, pilots have to demonstrate their competence in carrying out normal, abnormal and emergency procedures on each variant of a type of aircraft they fly. A second show cause notice followed and the airline’s response was again found unsatisfactory. The airline’s head of training had failed to ensure the compliance of the provisions pertaining to flight crew training, the order said.
SpiceJet did not respond to a query sent by TOI.
This isn’t the first time that SpiceJet has received a rap from the regulator. In July last year, the DGCA had imposed restrictions on SpiceJet allowing it to operate at only half its capacity for three months. The action came after a review of many incidents involving SpiceJet aircraft showed poor internal safety oversight and inadequate maintenance actions.