Why in the News?
Recently, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released a preliminary report of the investigation into the fatal plane crash in Ahmedabad.
More on News
- It provided details on the timing of the MAYDAY call made by the pilot.
- Mayday call signals a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate assistance.
- The frequencies 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz are designated as emergency frequencies in aviation.
- Also, Black Boxes were retrieved and their data downloaded from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) Lab.
- A Black Box comprises of two critical flight recording devices: Flight data recorder (parameters like speed, altitude, engine performance, etc.) and Cockpit Voice recorder.
- It is bright orange in colour to ensure high visibility and made up of strong substances (steel or titanium).
Institutional Frameworks for Aviation Security in India
- Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
- Regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation, primarily dealing with safety issues.
- Responsibility: Regulation of air transport services to/from/within India and for the enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety, and airworthiness standards.
- Also coordinates all regulatory functions with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
- Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA)
- Established in 2009 under the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008.
- Objective: To regulate tariffs for aeronautical services, determine other airport charges for services rendered at major airports and monitor the performance standards of such airports.
- Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)
- Initially set up as a cell in the DGCA in 1978 and later reorganised into an independent department under the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 1987.
- Major Responsibility: It lays down Aviation Security Standards per Annexe 17 to the Chicago Convention of ICAO.
- Annexe 17 is for Safeguarding International Civil Aviation Against Acts of Unlawful Interference.
- Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau
- It was established in 2012 as an attached office under the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation.
- It facilitates investigation and administrative work of the Court or Assessors appointed by the Central Government under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017.
- Authority: Mandated for immediate and unrestricted access to all relevant evidence from any agency/organisation without seeking prior consent from judicial bodies or other Government authorities.
- All Accidents and Serious Incidents involving aircraft with an All-up Weight (AUW) of more than 2250 kg or Turbojet aircraft are investigated by AAIB.
- Investigations into occurrences involving an aircraft of maximum mass of 2250 Kg or less, which are classified as Serious Incidents, are carried out by DGCA.
About International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
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Issues and recommendations of aviation security by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture
Domain | Challenges | Recommendations |
Imbalanced capital outlay | DGCA receives ₹30 crore (~50% of aviation capital budget) raising concerns about security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. | Balanced allocation across aviation bodies to address critical gaps in security and investigative resources. |
Acute manpower Shortage | Vacancies in DGCA, BCAS and AAI are 53.8%, 34.7% and 17% respectively | Expedite Recruitment Process and adopt a long-term workforce planning strategy to fill vacancies. |
UDAN Expansion | Reduced allocation in UDAN by 32% in budget (2024-25) even when expansion in hilly and North Eastern regions will require enhanced security protocols. | Assess fund adequacy to strengthen security infrastructure under modified UDAN scheme to develop proportionate infrastructure. |
Regulatory Oversight Mechanism | High dependence on general budgetary allocations and lack of sustainable funding mechanism for aviation oversight functions at both national and regional levels | Establish Integrated Safety Mechanism to promote collaboration between DGCA, BCAS, and other bodies for multi-modal transport safety standards and sustainable funding mechanisms. |
Navigation Systems | Severe flight disruptions due to bad weather conditions induced by smog. | Installation of Instrument Landing System (ILS) at all airports at the earliest |
Poor aircraft cabin safety standards | Concerns related to premature deterioration of seating materials,and technological obsolescence plaguing multiple airlines. | Establish Aviation Interior Quality Commission for enforcing ergonomic, safety, sustainability, and accessibility standards across all carrier |
Conclusion
India has aligned its regulations with ICAO's global standards and has also been appreciated by ICAO's safety audit. Adoption of the Delhi Declaration at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference (2024) is a testament to India's strong commitment to Open Skies and global connectivity. Incidents like the recent crash must be thoroughly investigated to prevent such recurrence and make the aviation sector safe and secure.