DGCA teams to check 40 flying schools

New Delhi: The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has set up three teams to examine 40 flying schools across the country from April 18. The move comes amid reports of pilot training schools fudging their logbook entries to help candidates get licences.

The teams would submit reports within three months. The authenticity of records submitted by those who underwent training in foreign institutions would also be scrutinised, official sources here said.
Thirteen persons, including five pilots and three DGCA personnel, have so far been arrested by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police on the charge of using forged mark sheets and fudging flying hours to get licences. A chief training officer of a Rajasthan flying club was earlier arrested for fudging the logbooks of some pilots.
The audit teams will verify the flying hours entered in the logbooks of air traffic controllers. They will check the quantum of aviation fuel used by the flying schools and their fuel bills to find out whether they match the flying hours logged by the students.
DGCA chief E.K. Bharat Bhushan, who briefed the teams, has favoured a complete revamp of the licensing process. Last week, he met officials of all flying schools to put together a plan to tackle document-fudging.
13/04/11 The Hindu