New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has sought an explanation from four airlines for violating its directive by operating eight flights daily to Goa’s Dabolim airport in the last few days with pilots making “blind landings” in violation of safety norms.
Flights of Kingfisher, GoAir, JetLite and Jet Airways all operated in the past few days from 9am-1pm and 3pm-7pm when vital ground navigational aids were switched off for maintenance work at the airport.
The flight “curfew hours” have been in place from April 4 and will stay till April 30.
The DGCA had issued a notice to airmen, called Notam, about a week ago advising all airlines not to operate during the “curfew hours” as a ground-based radar system called the precision approach path indicator would be switched off.
“Despite our warnings to respect the curfew hours, some airlines have violated the directive. They will have to pay for it. We will take action. We are going to issue notices,” DGCA chief E.K. Bharat Bhushan said today.
The action may include de-rostering of pilots who carried out such landings.
The Indian Commercial Pilot’s Association had also asked its members not to operate flights to Goa till April 30 during the “curfew hours” as that would violate flight safety rules and lead to “blind landings” at Dabolim airport.
12/04/11 The Telegrapg
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