The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday announced strict new security measures for operators of non-scheduled flights, including the publication of aircraft maintenance history and a safety assessment mechanism.
According to an official statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the aviation regulator has convened a high-level meeting with non-scheduled flight operators to address the rise in aviation incidents.
The meeting was held a day after a Non-Scheduled Operator (NSOP) plane crashed in Jharkhand, killing all seven people on board, PTI reported.
“This high-level interaction follows a comprehensive review of accident data over the past decade that identifies non-compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs), inadequate flight planning and training deficiencies as the primary causative factors in aviation accidents,” the DGCA said.
A rise in aviation incidents is a cause for concern; DGCA issues a strong warning
The meeting was held to “address the recent increase in aviation incidents and highlighted the critical need for an increased focus on security across the sector,” the DGCA said in a statement.
The regulator issued a stern warning, saying responsible managers and NSOP senior management would be held personally liable for systemic non-compliance, stressing that “failures in safety cannot simply be blamed on pilots”.
What are the new standards?
— Mandatory disclosure: The DGCA is introducing a mandatory disclosure policy where NSOP operators will be required to publish critical safety information on their websites, including aircraft age, maintenance history and pilot experience.
— Safety Assessment: The regulator will introduce a safety assessment mechanism for all non-scheduled operators and the criteria for this assessment will be published on the DGCA website.
— Intensive audits: The authority will conduct an increased number of random cockpit voice recorder (CVR) audits and cross-check ADS-B data, fuel records and technical logs to detect unauthorized operations or data “spoofing”.
– Management responsibility: Those in senior management positions will bear personal responsibility for systemic non-conformities. The DGCA also said that the safety lapses cannot simply be blamed on the pilots.
– More severe penalties: Pilots found guilty of violating flight duty time limitations (FDTL) or attempting to land below safety minima can face a license suspension of up to five years. Meanwhile, operators who fail to meet compliance standards will also be penalized and their licenses or permits may be suspended.
— Maintenance check: Increased monitoring will be applied to older aircraft and those undergoing ownership changes. In addition, DGCA will audit NSOPs that operate their own Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities.
— Weather and Training Solutions: Operators are tasked with implementing real-time weather update systems and strict adherence to established SOPs.
— Phase 2 of the NSOP Special Security Audit: After Phase 1 of the NSOP Special Security Audit is completed in early March 2026, Phase 2 covering the remainder of the NSOP will be conducted.
