Flights of neglect: ARC-expiry scandal points to systemic failure
The Tribune Editorial: The Airworthiness Review Certificate is a mandatory evaluation that certifies an aircraft’s readiness to fly.
THE revelation that an Air India Airbus A320 operated eight commercial flights with an expired Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) is not just a regulatory lapse; it is a troubling breach of public trust. The aircraft reportedly flew on November 24 and 25 without a valid safety clearance, prompting the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ground the aircraft and de-roster the personnel involved, pending investigation. Commercial aviation rests on an uncompromising foundation of safety discipline. The ARC is a mandatory evaluation that certifies an aircraft’s readiness to fly. The fact that a lapse of this magnitude could occur — and go unnoticed for multiple flights — points to systemic failures in compliance, monitoring and oversight.
