DGCA names tainted, novice officers for panel to probe air crashes

New Delhi: A controversial officer of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and three inexperienced consultants have been named in a newly constituted five-member Independent Accident Investigation Committee (IAIC) that will identify the causes of air crashes and propose safety guidelines.
The civil aviation ministry had announced the formation of the IAIC about a month back. The committee is to consist of a director, air safety, deputy director, assistant director, and two air safety officers.
On June 17, the DGCA proposed to the civil aviation ministry the names of R. S. Passi, currently director (air safety) in the DGCA, and three consultants - Rupinder Singh, Ekta Agarwal and Payal Agarwal. The panel is still searching for the fifth member of the IAIC. If the proposal is approved, the committee will hardly have any experience in probing air accidents as only Passi, who is to head the IAIC, has long experience in air safety.
The three consultants - Rupinder, Ekta and Payal - are in their twenties and are recent appointees of the DGCA and have no experience in investigating air accidents.
While Rupinder Singh, who was an engineer in a private airline, has been recommended for the post of assistant director in the IAIC, Payal and Ekta are to be appointed as air safety officers.
Payal worked with the Aeronautical Development Agency as a research consultant before joining the DGCA a month back. Ekta has worked for the Indian Space Research Organisation and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The three got their aeronautical engineering degree from the Aeronautical Society of India (ASI) after clearing the mandatory 20 papers. The ASI degree is treated on a par with B. Tech aeronautics from any engineering college.
As for Passi, he carries the taint of allegedly influencing his daughter's appointment as a pilot in a private airline which Passi audited.
Passi's daughter, Garima, had failed flying tests in the US but after her successful training in India, she was employed by a private carrier. The chief instructor at Sabeena Airline Training Centre, USA, had earlier stated that Garima Passi had 'fear of the aircraft'. "Ms Passi lacked basic aircraft control, she made a hard landing causing damage to the aircraft," the Centre's report said.
Passi had then admitted that he handled SpiceJet's safety audit and his daughter was employed there. Following a public outcry against untrained pilots, Garima left the job.
24/06/11 Ajmer Singh/India Today

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Jun 2011, Safety Jun 2011