Quarterly review of operational preparedness must for single-engine aircraft flights in bad weather or at night, DGCA tells operators

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, October 25

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked operators of single-engine aircraft to periodically review their operational preparedness every three months for undertaking flights at night or in adverse weather conditions.

In its revised directives for single-engine turbine aircraft operations issued this week, DGCA has asked operators to devise a process to obtain feedback from the crew, flight data analysis and in-flight inspections on issues critical to operations.

The directives, revised about five years after they were last issued, are applicable to scheduled commuter air transport operations and non-scheduled air transport operators with single-engine turbine airplane having and all-up weight of not more than 5,700 kg and single engine turbine helicopter having all-up weight of not more than 3,175 kg.

Operators are mandated to establish a positive means of identifying the emergency landing site during night and in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The assessment of the landing sites should be based on the risk assessment at least quarterly and any change in the character of the site should be documented and be made part of the flight planning.

IMC is a weather condition that requires pilots to fly primarily by reference to flight instruments and under instrument flight rules instead of flying by outside visual references under visual flight rules because of visibility issues.

Since accurate weather assessment is essential for the safe operation during flight in IMC and situational awareness of pilots about terrain and obstacles is critical in case of diversion, aircraft being used in IMC or night operations should be equipped with auto-function colour weather radar as well as ground proximity warning system or terrain avoidance and warning system.

DGCA has also directed that operators shall have a phase-wise approach towards introducing night operations, for which the crew should first be cleared for day operations and meet compliance of DGCA requirements. They shall be cleared for the night operations for particular sectors based upon demonstration of effective compliance and risk mitigation.

Reliable and approved sources are to be used for weather determination throughout the flight and elaborative route briefing is to be carried out at pre-flight and during progression of flight. For operations over water in IMC or at night, route limitations are to be assessed and the distance that the aeroplane may be operated from a land mass suitable for a safe forced landing should be determined.