SpiceJet, Jetlite don146;t have pilots to fly in fog: DGCA

Even as dense fog condition threatens to engulf all of northern India, major low cost carriers, Spice Jet and Jetlite...

Even as dense fog condition threatens to engulf all of northern India, major low cost carriers, Spice Jet and Jetlite, don8217;t have a single pilot trained to fly in CAT III visibility conditions.

Figures shared by the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation DGCA have revealed that both the airlines lack CAT-III trained pilot. The other major low cost airline, Air Deccan, has just four CAT-III trained pilots, all foreigners. GoAir has 13 Indian CAT III-trained pilots and 8 foreign CAT III pilots.

However, the DGCA will not be canceling slots of airlines without CAT-III trained pilots as was indicated by them earlier.

8220;All airlines have been told that only CAT III-trained pilots should fly during fog period slots. If a flight is cancelled due to unavailability of a trained pilot during such a slot without prior information to passengers, next year, the airline will not be given a slot during the fog period. Slots will not be cancelled this year so that passengers don8217;t face any inconvenience,8221; said Kanu Gohain, director, DGCA.

Indian Airlines has the maximum CAT III-trained pilots at 265, followed by Air India with 192 CAT III pilots. Jet Airways has as many as 300 CAT II-trained pilots but only 58 CAT III- trained pilots- all foreigners- as per the DGCA data. The runway 28 at IGI airport is equipped with CAT III-B Instrument Landing System, which allows aircraft to land even at a Runway Visibility Range RVR of up to 50 meters. However, despite the DGCA8217;s directions to airlines to get their pilots trained for CAT III, airlines don8217;t seem to be paying any heed to it.

The DGCA tally shows that at present there are some 611 CAT III-trained pilots in all airlines and 40 per cent of these are CAT IIIB compliant as well. While CAT IIA requires at least 75 meters visibility, CATIIIB-trained pilot can land the plane even at a visibility of less than 50 metres.

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said that his ministry was seriously looking at the fog issue but also added that Air India related incidents were being blown out of proportion by the media.

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8220;While both the DGCA and the ministry are taking all steps to tackle the fog problem, the fact is that it is a natural phenomenon that affects air movement at airports across the world. The DGCA ensures passengers8217; comfort in such situations through its directions and rules for airlines, but safety is the bigger focus. Also, delays take place all the time and on all airlines. So while Air India cannot be excused 8212; it has to perform or perish in these competitive times 8212; there should be uniformity in reporting incidents about all airlines,8221; the minister said along side the margins of the Civil Aviation Safety week that opened in the Capital on Monday.