Election flying: DGCA asks operators to ensure safety

“The discussions will be on the DGCA’s observations on past accidents that point towards safety norms being flouted and the problems being faced by the operators in ensuring safe operations during the election season,” said a government source.

In an attempt to ensure safe operations during the election season, the DGCA had issued a circular on Monday reiterating the norms that should be followed to ensure safety. The regulator had also warned that it could resort to suspending the operations of charter companies violating rules for a specified period.

The guidelines directs the flight crew to check on Google the helipad coordinates, their correctness, suitability and other flying aspects like obstacles of the area. It also directs the flight crew to carry local maps during flights, use those for navigation and not rely only on global positioning system.

General aviation operators also say that there are various issues that they would like to take up with the regulator. “The biggest problem of election flying is the infrastructure and the pressure of covering more in a short span of time. The responsibility of safe flying is on the crew of the aircraft, who needs to ensure safety. But a few misses do happen,” said RK Bali, secretary, Business Aircraft Operators Association.