Looking into the safety of helicopter operations in India is a one-man show. Literally!
India’s apex aviation body —the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) — has only one inspector, that too part-time, to carry out vital air safety checks of over 200 helicopters deployed across India.
Sources told DNA that captain Arshad Ahmed, a Pawan Hans Limited pilot, doubles up as a flight inspector. The capabilities of DGCA to conduct regular helicopter inspections and the growing number of helicopters leave no doubt about the abysmal air safety standards in India. It is still not clear if the crash of Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s helicopter had anything to do with this fatal gap.
“With only one man, you can imagine the quality of surveillance on helicopters, whether owned by state governments or private parties across the country,” said an aviation source.
To inspect fixed-wing aircraft in India, the DGCA has 26 flight inspectors, who are actually employed with various airlines. The Rotary Wing Society of India (RWSI), a non-government organisation of retired air force pilots, has repeatedly told the government to look into helicopter safety operations in India.
Aviation expert A Ranganathan said: “The thorough inspection of a helicopter takes two days. So in a year, one man cannot even inspect all 200 helicopters. He will certainly not been able to do justice to the job.”
