Covering Letter
Dear Sir,
Greetings from Aviation Safety Management Society of India (ASMSI).
ASMSI has been continuously working to promote Aviation Safety in Coordination with all the stakeholders and keeping a close watch on the Aviation Safety Environments in the country. Aviation Safety Survey is one of our Proactive initiative to learn from others experience and to keep Aviation Stakeholders informed about the various occurrences and issues related to Aviation and Aviation Safety. The Aviation Safety Survey for the month of Dec 19 and Jan 20 is attached for the reading pleasure of the Aviation Professionals.
There have been some good news related to Aviation and Aviation Safety. Firstly, ASMSI would like to share the same with you all.
2019-20 was the safest year for aviation around the world in the last 74 years. We hope and pray for further improvements in the safety environments in the country and the world.
It is heartening to learn that Indigo has been graded as Fifth Safest Airline in Low Cost Carrier class in the world. Keeping in mind the serious problems being faced by the Indigo related to A 320 Neo, undoubtedly it is a notable achievement by the airline, to become Fifth Safest LCC in the world. Indigo also, has become the first Airline in the country, to cross 250 aircraft inventory. This is another feather in the cap of Indigo. Heartiest congratulations to all the personnel of Indigo for outstanding performance.
Another good news is about the recognition to 4 of our Airports – Kolkata, Varanasi, Bhuvneshwar and Trivandrum for reducing carbon emissions. Our compliments to AAI and the management of all these airports for their contributions to reduce environmental pollution.
ASMSI is happy to learn that a committee has been formed under the Chairmanship of Shri Rohit Nandan, for long overdue, overhauling of DGCA. It is sincerely hoped that the Committee would seriously look into the aspect of establishment of Civil Aviation Authority and the recommendations of the Committee will be implemented in a time bound manner.
There were 16 Safety Situations (6 Indigo, 5 Spice Jet, 4 Go Air, and one True Jet) where the aircraft had to return/divert and carry out priority or emergency landings. The Indigo and Go Air had issues like Engine vibrations and Engine shut down in the air, mainly due to the continuing problem with A 320 Neo.
Keeping in mind the limitation of Pratt and Whitney to replace the Neo Engines, DGCA,reluctantly, has extended the dead line, for the replacement of all the trouble prone Neo Engines to 31 May 20.Hope Air Bus industries will be able to meet the demands of the large number of engine replacements on Air Bus Neo. In the meantime, we are hopeful that the Senior Management, Pilots, and Maintenance personnel particularly of Indigo and Go air will continue to be alert and vigilant to ensure no safety compromises take place.
Incidents are known to be precursors to Accidents and hence should be thoroughly investigated to identify root cause.16 serious incidents over a period of two months should sound the alarm bells and the need to be extra careful and alert, cannot be overemphasized.
A fatal accident occurred on the Flying club aircraft killing the Instructor and trainee Pilot, due bad weather. This is the second fatal accident in last one year (Earlier recent Crash of Hyderabad Flying Club aircraft due weather) to the aircraft belonging to the Flying Clubs. It is essential that a close watch is kept on the flying training undertaken by Flying Clubs to ensure high standards of Safety.
DGCA has come down heavily on the Pilots of Go Air who had drifted out of the Runway during approach in poor visibility conditions and taken off from the unpaved surface in panic, thus seriously compromising the safety of Crew, passengers and aircraft. Another runway incursion by the Pilots of Air Asia has resulted in the suspension of both the Pilots. In both the cases, more so in the first case, the Pilots had displayed poor professionalism, lack of CRM, Situational Awareness, proper assessment of risk factors and lack of involvement and assertiveness by the Co Pilots.
ASMSI is of the firm opinion that DGCA should take action against the Accountable Executives of the Operators for any safety lapses since the Accountable Executives are accountable to DGCA for addressing and promoting safety related issues in their Company. Unless the accountable Executives are fully involved and held accountable by the DGCA, the safety environments will continue to suffer.
100 Pilots of Go Air getting DGCA Show Cause Notice for exceeding FTL and FDTL is a major cause of concern. Such a situation can occur only with the knowledge of the Senior Management. The Pilots are always under pressure of the management to complete the flight and are almost forced to exceed the FTL and FDTL for commercial considerations. Rather than questioning the Pilots, the focus of the regulator should be on the Accountable Executive for his failure to ensure that no safety compromises takes place due to fatigue, and stress of the Pilots.
DGCA has been quite Proactive in its drive to enhance the Safety of Aviation Operations in the country and has been quite strict in maintaining discipline among the Pilots. ASMSI wishes to request DGCA to share the report of investigations carried out for incidents with the stakeholders so that valuable lessons are learnt to prevent occurrences of similar nature.
The knowledge about the incidents etc. is gained by ASMSI from various newspaper reports which is also consolidated by Indian Aviation News Network. The same is consolidated and reproduced by ASMSI with comments for the benefit of the Aviation Professionals. We acknowledge the contribution of Media in reporting the occurrences and thus facilitating ASMSI to share the inputs with stakeholders.
Many Many Happy Landings.
Safety is not a Mere Slogan.It Should Become a Way of Life.
Thanking you
With warm Regards
Air Cmde BS Siwach AVSM YSM VM (Veteran)
Director General (9871251590)
Aviation Safety Management Society of India
New Delhi.
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