DGCA was sending notices to airlines violating the rules
NEW DELHI: For violating the directive that flights should not be operated to Goa during certain hours when the ground navigational aids at the airport do not work, the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has come down heavily on four airlines.
The Indian Commercial Pilots Association, a body of the erstwhile Indian Airlines pilots, has asked all its members not to undertake flights to Goa till April 30 after the violation of flight safety rules by some carriers and blind landings at the Dabolim airport.
The DGCA issued a “Notice To Airmen” or NOTAM, a week ago for advising all airlines not to operate flights during certain hours in a day when the ground radar system, PAPI (the precision approach path indicator), would be switched off for repairs.
In the absence of the PAPI, the pilot will have to make the landing visually. The radar system also indicates features such as the distance and the height before touchdown.
DGCA chief E.K. Bharat Bhushan said on Tuesday, “Despite our warnings to respect the curfew hours, some airlines have violated this directive. They will have to pay for it. We will take action.”
According to sources, the DGCA was sending notices to Kingfisher, GoAir, JetLite and Jet Airways for having operated flights from 0900 hours to 1300 hours and 1500 hours till 1900 hours.
The ICPA has asked its members not to operate flights to Goa during those periods when they will have to make “blind landings,” or landings without navigational aids.
The NOTAM had warned all airlines not to operate flights during this period. He had also met the chiefs of operations of all airlines and told them that these curfew hours should be respected, Mr. Bhushan said.
