AAI asked to set up separate aerodrome directorate

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) To enhance aviation safety in the
aftermath of the air crash in Mangalore city in the Southern
state of Karnataka, the government has set a deadline of June
next year for licensing of all airports across the country and
directed the Airports Authority of India to set up a separate
aerodrome directorate under it.
These were among a series of decisions taken by the
high-level Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council (CASAC),
which met here earlier this week. CASAC is headed by Director
General of Civil Aviation SNA Zaidi.
At the meeting held in the presence of Civil Aviation
Minister Praful Patel, it was also reported that all 11
airports, designated as 'critical', have been inspected and
their operators directed to comply with safety regulations.
These airports are Agartala, Calicut, Jammu, Kullu, Latur,
Leh, Lengpui, Mangalore, Patna, Port Blair and Shimla.
The CASAC also recommended barring pilots, who have tested
positive in breath analyser (BA) tests, from becoming Training
Captains. It also decided that those Training Captains, having
positive BA reports, should be debarred from their positions
for three years.
The system of receiving monthly reports of BA tests has
already been introduced. Under it, licences of pilots are
suspended for three months on first BA positive report and
cancelled in second such instance.
The CASAC recommended detailed regulations for temporary
authorisation of foreign aircrew, including carrying out
detailed background checks and medical standards.
A special drive for licensing of all airports was already
underway. While licensing of 16 airports would be completed by
November 30, 29 by December-end and the rest before June 30,
2011, an official spokesperson said.
In another significant move, the CASAC decided that a
Board be set up by DGCA for initial approval, renewal and
proficiency of Training Captains and it should also include
independent experts.
The Civil Aviation Ministry's decision to issue licenses
for Air Traffic Control Officers was also in the process of
being finalised, with the Law Ministry vetting the proposal.
Regarding the inspection of critical airports, technical
teams surveyed their runway conditions, carried out friction
tests, checked markings, various navigational aids and radars
and locations of precision approach instruments and Runway End
Safety Arrangement (RESA) requirements, the spokesperson said.
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