Airlines back DGCA in dispute with engineers

New Delhi: Airlines now want to bat for the regulator — Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) — whose decision to allow pilots to undertake transit checks of aircraft has been challenged in court by the Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) associations.
In a petition filed in the Delhi High Court, airlines, under the aegis of Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), the industry body representing full-service and budget carriers, has strongly supported DGCA’s move which allows approved pilots to undertake transit inspection of an aircraft.
DGCA sources said that FIA has now sought to be a party to the ongoing legal tussle in the Delhi High Court between the regulator and the associations representing aircraft maintenance engineers.
In January this year, DGCA amended the Airworthiness Rules to enable a pilot to do transit inspection on an aircraft, and issue “certificate of release” in stations where maintenance engineers where not present. To be eligible, the pilot has to undergo a specified 10-day training.
Before this amendment came into effect, an airline used to fly maintenance engineers on each flight to undertake transit checks.
Engineer associations see this move by DGCA as helping airlines to reduce operating cost.
11/09/07 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times