DGCA issues Air Safety circular to airlines for ensuring adherence of inspection procedure

The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Indian aviation regulator, has issued an Air Safety Circular to airlines directing them to "ensure meticulous adherence of the inspection procedure of door seals of planes to avoid mid-air pressurisation snags" which can pose a massive risk of disasters.

The maintenance programme prescribes the procedure for the inspection of the door seal condition. The DGCA circular said that investigations have revealed that in few cases pressurisation snag occurred in the number of sectors operated by the aircraft before they were finally identified as seal failure and rectified.

"These incidents were due to several reasons including faulty/damaged doors and window seals, or improperly closed stores and improper operational procedures. These events resulted in inability to maintain the desired Kevin attitude, even though The Cabin pressurization system was otherwise working normally. The rate of cabin pressure change in those cases was generally slow readily identified by the crew and uneventful descent was generally carried out," the circular said.

"To avoid recurrence of such incidents and improve the operational safety all the airlines are required to ensure meticulous adherence of the inspection procedures prescribed by the manufacturer," the circular added.

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Circular on Wildlife control

DGCA on Monday advised all airport operators to not ease their wildlife control measures even though air traffic has reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Many regular activities such as grass cutting, bird activity monitoring patrols, and dispersal measures may be limited given the current situation of reduced manpower and lower aircraft movements at airfields, the DGCA had said in its circular.

DGCA's circular on wildlife control comes as there have been many incidents in India where aircraft have hit animals on the runway during takeoff or landing. There have also been incidents where a bird has hit the engine of an aircraft during its takeoff or landing or when it is at a lower altitude.

Many airports are near substantial wetlands, or drainage ponds, making these areas attractive to thousands of migratory birds including waterfowl, shorebirds, gulls and other large birds, the DGCA noted.

"Unfortunately, it is these birds that present a higher risk to aircraft. Therefore, given the current environment of reduced aviation activity, birds/wildlife are expected to expand their environment," it said.

(With PTI inputs)