No guidelines specifying life of an aircraft to fly in India, 18 emergency landings in last 2 years

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has not prescribed any guidelines specifying the life of an aircraft to fly in India, the government said in Parliament on Thursday, the same day when it said that 18 emergency landings had happened in the country over the past two years.

Replying to a question on the safety of an aircraft, Minister of State for Civil Aviation General (retired) VK Singh said aircraft are considered airworthy in India provided the maintenance is as per the approved schedules laid down by the manufacturer.

“Aircraft registered in India may operate as long as the certificate is valid for the type of aircraft and the aircraft is under production and maintenance support provided by the manufacturer for the continuous operation of the aircraft,” the minister said.

The DGCA has however let down age criteria for an aircraft to be imported to India.

The government said that aircraft intended to be imported to India and used in passenger services needed to follow certain age criteria: pressurised aircraft restricted to 18 years or 65 per cent of designed economic life in terms of pressurisation cycle whichever is earlier, non-pressurised aircraft allowed up to 20 years on a case to case basis agreed by the DGCA, aircraft to be used for cargo operation is restricted to 25 years or 75 per cent of its designed economic life in terms of pressurisation cycles, whichever is earlier.

“No violation of the safety guidelines with respect to the life of an aircraft has come to the notice of the DGCA,” said the minister.

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