Once grounded,ultralight aircraft found fit for training

Ultralight aircraft imported by two clubs are set to be declared fit for training by the very regulator that had once grounded them.

Ultralight aircraft imported by two clubs are set to be declared fit for training by the very regulator that had once grounded them. Aero Club in India,headed by Congress MP Satish Sharma,has imported three light sports aircraft (LSA) while Carver Aviation Academy in Baramati has two,the only such models in India.

The clearance could have implications on safety,with experts saying ultralight (or microlight) aircraft are suitable only for hobby flying. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has proposed to register and issue these aircraft a special certificate of airworthiness.

It comes less than a year after the DGCA had refused to issue such a certificate to these aircraft and barred these flying clubs from using LSA for training. On June 8,2011,director (airworthiness) S N Dwivedi had written to Aero Club of India,During scrutiny of documents,it is noted that the above aircraft (CTLS advanced LSA) is not eligible for issuance of certificate of airworthiness as above aircraft is not type certified/type accepted by DGCA.

Dwivedi had told The Indian Express (which has a copy of the letter) that CTLS aircraft cannot be used for training and commercial operations. Import of aircraft such aircraft can be permitted only for joy flying,he had said.

Before that,the DGCA had cleared the aircraft. On December 30,2010,Dwivedi had written to Aero Club of India,This is to inform you that CTLS aircraft (light sports aircraft)… has been accepted by DGCA,since type rating has been signed by R&D Directorate….It may be stated that two CTLS aircraft,VT-BBC and VT-CNN,have also been imported and they are being operated by M/s Academy of Carver Aviation Pvt Ltd.

Dwivedi refused to comment on this. Lalit Gupta,DDG,who had given the green signal to Carver Aviation,said,I gave permission to Carver Aviation only from a design point of view,that as per R&D the design is acceptable. I didnt give them a certificate of airworthiness or permission to import the aircraft. I have no idea if Carver was operating these aircraft.

On January 7 this year,the DGCA held a meeting to approve operations of the LS aircraft for training. The minutes of the meeting (a copy is with The Indian Express; one was sent to Aero Club too) read,The members had extensive discussions on the subject in which it was decided that as a immediate measure the applicants will seek permission from the Central Govt under Rule 160 of the Aircraft Rules,1937,for registration and operation of Light Sports Aircraft procured by them.

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DGCA Arun Mishra said,We have sent a proposal under Rule 160 to Ministry of Civil Aviation for registration of microlight aircraft. These cannot be kept in boxes and are to be given a certificate of airworthiness. We have been told that microlights are being used for training in the US,but that needs to be checked.

Aviation expert Capt Mohan Ranganathan,a government-appointed member in the Civil Aviation Advisory Council said,Microlights or light sports aircraft cannot be used for training. I havent heard of microlights being operated anywhere for training. These aircraft are used for hobby flying only.

On March 15,The Indian Express had reported that the ministry had ordered a probe into the import of the three trainer aircraft by Aero Club after it was found that the planes had not been certified,and that the terms of reference had been tweaked without the DGCAs permission. The aircraft were subsequently grounded.