DGCA fines IndiGo officials Rs 40L for lapses in training

In a strong action highlighting lapses in pilot training standards, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a total penalty of Rs 40 lakh on IndiGo’s top training officials for using uncertified simulators to train pilots for high-risk airports such as Calicut, Leh, and Kathmandu.

The aviation regulator found that IndiGo had trained nearly 1,700 pilots, including Captains and First Officers, on simulators lacking mandatory certification for Category C airports, which require rigorous training owing to mountainous terrain, unpredictable weather, and complex approach procedures.

The DGCA levied fines of Rs 20 lakh each on the airline’s Director of Training and Director of Flight Operations for violating Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR). The penalties were issued under Rule 162 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, and Schedule VI-B, describing this as a Severity Level 5 violation.

An internal probe identified 20 simulators across facilities in Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Greater Noida, Gurugram, and Hyderabad, operated by training organisations such as CSTPL, FSTC, ACAT, and Airbus. These simulators were found unfit for Calicut and Leh-specific training yet continued to be used for instruction.

The regulator has directed both officials to deposit the fines in the Bharatkosh government account within 30 days and informed them of their right to appeal within the same period by paying a statutory fee of Rs 1,000 to the Joint Director General of Civil Aviation.