U.S. aviation body allows more airline services from India
By siliconindia   |   Friday, 09 July 2010, 22:30 IST   |    5 Comments
Printer Print Email Email
U.S. aviation body allows more airline services from India
Bangalore: Now, more airlines from India will be able to launch services to U.S. as the country continues to remain in the Category I status of the U.S. based Federal Aviation Authority International Aviation Safety Program. The Category I status will also allow the existing airlines to add more flights. Before permitting a foreign airline to operate in the U.S., FAA backed by the U.S. legislation conducts an audit of the concerned country's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)/ DGCA to ensure its capability for providing safety certification and continuing oversight on its international carriers. The audit is conducted under an "International Aviation Safety Assessment Programme' (IASA) and focuses on the country's ability to adhere to standards and recommended practices of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for aircraft operations and maintenance. FAA scrutinized the documentary evidences presented by DGCA and concluded that not only does India continue to meet FAA's IASA Category-1 status but is also considered to be a 'role model' and plays a leadership role for other nations in the Asia region in civil aviation sector, said a statement. In 1997, FAA had conducted an audit of DGCA under the IASA programme and awarded Category I status to India. Earlier this year, the FAA conducted a reassessment of DGCA. While the FAA IASA team found India to be compliant in areas of aviation legislation, operating regulations, civil aviation structure and safety oversight functions, apart from licensing and certification obligations, it raised concerns in the areas of adequate technical guidance for DGCA inspectors, hiring and retaining technical personnel in DGCA inspectors, hiring and program of air operators and the resolution of identified safety issues. DGCA was required to rectify the concerns in the identified areas in about five months. Failure of non-action could have resulted in the country being downgraded to Category 2 status from the Category 1, held since 1997. Downgrade to Category 2 would have resulted in no expansion/changes to the services of Indian air carriers apart from the existing operations would have been subjected to 'heightened FAA surveillance.' "Such a downgrade would not only have resulted to an economic impact to the nation but would also have been a setback to India's image worldwide in ICAO, EU, U.S. and in the international aviation community," added the statement.

siliconindia