Aviation watchdog DGCA on Tuesday announced a slew of safety measures for non-scheduled flight operators, including public disclosure of aircraft maintenance history and a safety ranking mechanism, in the wake of recent plane crashes.
A day after a plane, operated by a non-scheduled operator (NSOP), crashed in Jharkhand, killing seven people onboard, DGCA held a meeting with all such operators.
The meeting was held to "address a recent surge in aviation incidents and emphasised the critical need for an increased focus on safety across the sector," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement.
Sending out a strong warning, the regulator said accountable managers and senior leadership of NSOPs would be held personally responsible for systemic non-compliances and stressed that "safety lapses cannot simply be blamed on pilots".
Apart from the requirement of public disclosure of critical safety information, including aircraft age and maintenance history, DGCA said there would be a safety ranking of the NSOPs.
Pilots of NSOPs would face stricter penalties for non-compliance and could even face suspension of licenses for up to five years.
The regulator said there would be increased monitoring of NSOPs' older aircraft as well as those undergoing ownership changes.
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