An A320 aircraft of Indian, now Air-India. (PTI)

The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) has boycotted the Calcutta-Silchar operation of Air-India as there was no test flight of the new A320 aircraft.

The pilots alleged that Air-India had violated the norms of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) by introducing a new aircraft on a hilly terrain on Monday without conducting a test flight.

The A320 aircraft was introduced in the Northeast sector replacing Boeing planes.

“Before introducing a new aircraft to airfields surrounded by hilly terrain, tests are mandatory. The Standard Operating Procedures is prepared on the basis of that,” said a spokesperson of the ICPA (eastern region).

One of the key tests, according to pilots, is “proving flight operation”. This means, a test flight without passengers with only experienced pilots and experts on board.“We are aware these flights are being scheduled for operations in contravention to the existing regulations, which is detrimental for flight safety,” a letter by the ICPA to the airline authorities states.

With the pilots refusing to fly, the inaugural flight was operated by a senior official, who is a pilot.

Civil aviation ministry sources said the airline had conducted proving flight operation at Port Blair when the Airbus was introduced there in 2004.

“Before the commencement of operations of A320 to Silchar, thorough groundwork was done and inspection was carried out. The surface of the runway was found fit for A320,” said an Air-India official.