New rules for stricter air safety compliance on the anvil

New Delhi: New rules are being framed by the country's aviation regulator to ensure that airlines do not cut corners on safety matters even if they are faced with financial difficulties.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is holding consultations to finalise the rules to carry out financial surveillance of airlines and other air operators so that safety aspects are not ignored by them while meeting their cost-cutting requirements, official sources said here.
Though the aviation regulator has already started initial evaluation of the financial health of scheduled carriers, the sources said, the regulations need to be in place for the air operators to follow.
When any carrier is in financial distress, heightened surveillance is required to make sure that it does not cut any cost on safety matters, the sources said, adding the DGCA proposal to prepare a regulation on the issue was in the consultation stage.
The DGCA was also preparing a draft regulation to make it mandatory for all aviation operators like airlines, maintenance organisations, aerodromes and air navigation service providers to establish a dedicated Safety Management System within their organisations.
This has been recommended by the UN-body International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as part of a series of measures to maintain global safety standards. The sources said the DGCA was holding consultations to get the rule ready.
27/06/10 PTI/Economic Times

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Categories: Safety Jun 2010