Agenda For Icarus

The fatal crash of the Beechcraft King Air C-90, in which Madhavrao Scindia and seven others were travelling, in Bhaisaroli village, Uttar Pradesh, has again raised serious questions about safety and maintenance standards in aircraft used by private operators in the country. The September 30 crash, the sixth this year involving a small aircraft, has only added to allegations that private operators flout norms and compromise on air safety requirements.

With political parties, corporates, the film industry and the domestic tourism trade increasingly preferring the use of chartered aircraft, it's been boom time for the operators. In fact, there are now as many as 39 non-scheduled operators in India with permits from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (dgca). And in all, there are 92 small aircraft and choppers operating now.

The planes are mostly owned by business houses. However, since its use is limited, the owners prefer to get a non-scheduled operators' permit and rent it out for chartered passenger flights. This not only makes up for the high maintenance costs, but has also become a good income source.

Significantly, the dgca has elaborate guidelines for non-scheduled operators. The checklist is stringent for the issue of a certificate of airworthiness, physical inspection of aircraft on the ground, maintenance facility at night halt stations, etc. However, how far these are adhered to is debatable.

Says aviation expert Brij Bhardwaj: "Nobody has so far actually looked into the safety aspects of small aircraft. Safety regulations observed in the case of scheduled flights are not seriously followed for the non-scheduled operators. The planes may be smaller but safety requirements are just the same. There really should be no distinction between scheduled and private planes."

In the latest incident, various theories are doing the rounds to explain the mysterious crash. Besides the bad weather, presumed as the reason for the crash, suspected poor maintenance is also being talked about as a possible factor. As the plane had no flight data recorder, the investigations are unlikely to yield any precise clue to the crash.

Meanwhile, taken to task for the accident that cost the nation one of its most prominent political leaders and four journalists among others, the ministry of civil aviation has finally decided to review the systems and procedures for the acquisition, maintenance and operation of small aircraft. Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain has constituted a high-level committee headed by joint secretary in the ministry, Sunil Arora, with H.S. Khola, director general, civil aviation, and Robey Lal, member (operations), Airports Authority of India, as members.

But private operators are opposed to the linking of the September 30 crash with safety standards. Says K.K. Jotwani, GM (operations), aviation division, East India Hotels Ltd, which owns two aircraft: "The September 30 incident will affect the chartered flights business only if it's proved that safety precautions were not followed. We've been in the business a long time now and we observe all the guidelines. Every two years we send our aircraft for maintenance and refurbishments to the UK or Australia. Thorough inspections are also carried out by the dgca regularly. However, one must not forget that a plane is after all a machine and accidents do happen worldwide."

Captain Viren Gupta of Multi-Track Air Charters, an agency that organises chartered flights, holds similar views. "An aircraft is an expensive machine. Nobody wants to lose one and above all the people onboard. The flying business is something everybody is serious about." He says that dgca guidelines in India are more stringent than in most countries. Many private operators point out that the fleet of the government's own Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited is badly maintained and that its copters have met with accidents. The most recent was on May 8 when a chopper crashed at Rupa in Arunachal Pradesh killing four people on board including Nandita Judge Jain, deputy managing director of Times of India.

The review committee will now have to create a system which ensures that dgca guidelines are followed closely. Surprise checks on private aircraft may also be recommended. Flight operators admit in private that such measures will help build confidence among the flying public and will be good for business.