A parliamentary standing committee on Wednesday recommended terrain-specific training to avoid helicopter crashes and an in-depth analysis to study plane incidents not limited to human error but also factoring in procedures, training and technology.
The department-related parliamentary committee, dealing with “Overall Review of Safety in the Civil Aviation Sector”, made several recommendations while taking into account the recent helicopter accidents during the high-risk Char Dham Yatra ride and recurring operational risks faced by aircraft.
The committee recommended that the civil aviation ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) develop and enforce a uniform regulatory framework applicable to all state-operated helicopters and other air services.
This framework must ensure that such operations are subject to the same rigorous central oversight, safety protocols, audits and crew competency standards as any other commercial air transport operator in the country.
Recognising the unique challenges of Himalayan flying, the DGCA must make terrain-specific training and certification a mandatory prerequisite for any pilot authorised to operate in mountainous regions such as the Char Dham route, it said.
This should include training in high-altitude operations, weather interpretation and emergency procedures specific to the terrain.
Addressing aircraft incidents, the committee observed that high-consequence risks recur because of inadequate root-cause analysis and implementation of corrective actions.