DGCA had asked the airlines to deploy sufficient and qualified AME personnel.(Representational)
The aviation regulator today said airlines have now posted qualified engineering personnel at all their stations after the carriers were asked to do so in the wake of spate of technical snags in recent weeks.
With Indian airlines reporting multiple technical malfunction incidents during the last 45 days, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on July 18 said it conducted spot checks and found that insufficient and unqualified engineering personnel are certifying planes of various carriers before their departure. Before each departure, an aircraft is checked and certified by an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME).
The DGCA had on July 18 asked the airlines to deploy sufficient and qualified AME personnel by July 28.
"Based on reports of increased engineering related occurrences in scheduled airlines in recent times, DGCA conducted several audit/ spot checks which indicated improper identification of cause of a reported defect, increasing trend of MEL (minimum equipment list) releases and insufficient certifying staff," the DGCA said in a statement. "MEL releases" means an aircraft is allowed to fly with certain inoperative equipment or instruments for a specific period of time, until the repairs are done.
The regulator further said that in order to address the shortfalls a series of meetings were held with the airlines wherein they were told to make available the required type rated certifying staff at all stations for ensuring that the defects are properly rectified before the aircraft is released for operations.
"All airlines have informed that all stations have now been manned by type rated certifying staff by sending them on either 'temporary posting' or 'on flight duty'," it mentioned.
The DGCA had on Wednesday ordered SpiceJet to operate not more than 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks after several of its planes reported technical malfunction recently. During these eight weeks, the budget carrier will be subjected to "enhanced surveillance" by the DGCA.
The airline, however, said there will be no flight cancellations because of the regulator's order as it is already operating limited services due to the "current lean travel season." SpiceJet's planes were involved in at least eight incidents of technical malfunction between June 19 and July 5, following which the DGCA on July 6 issued a show cause notice to the airline.
Planes of other airlines such as IndiGo, Go First and Air India were also involved in such incidents during the last 45 days.
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