According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, India’s aviation safety oversight ranking has risen from 112th to 55th, with a significant improvement in the country’s score under the ICAO’s coordinated validation mission.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) conducts audits of all contracting states under its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) Continuous Monitoring Approach. The most recent mission to India took place from November 9th to 16th, 2022.
— DGCA (@DGCAIndia) February 10, 2023
Assessment Results
The ICAO team reviewed the progress in addressing 137 Protocol Questions (PQs) and found that the status of 101 PQs were changed to satisfactory and that of 1 PQ to not applicable. However, the status of 35 PQs remained unsatisfactory.
The areas assessed included LEG (Primary Aviation Legislation and Specific Operating Regulations), ORG (Civil Aviation Organisation), PEL (Personnel Licensing and Training), OPS (Aircraft Operations), AGA (Aerodrome and Ground Aid), and AIR (Airworthiness of Aircraft).
The scope of the mission did not include the areas of AIG (Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation) and ANS (Air Navigation Services).
Visits to Industry and Service Providers
During the mission, the ICAO team visited industry and service providers to validate the country’s capability to supervise the activities of airlines, organisations, and service providers.
Previous USOAP Audit Results
The USOAP audit of India’s civil aviation system conducted in 2017 generated an overall EI of 55.15% for the eight critical elements of the country’s safety oversight system.
During the ICVM conducted in India in 2018, the ICAO team reviewed progress in the areas of LEG, ORG, AIG, ANS, and AGA. The score improved to 69.95%.
Conclusion
The ICAO’s Coordinated Validation Mission has led to a significant improvement in India’s aviation safety ranking, climbing from 112th place to 55th place. The updated overall Effective Implementation (EI) of 85.65% demonstrates the progress made by India in ensuring the safety of its aviation industry.
Follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Google News for the latest travel news and updates!