Get pilots who can tackle bad weather and wet runways: DGCA tells airlines
All airlines and aircraft operators have also been asked to formulate and conduct allweather operations (AWO) training programmes for their crew members.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered domestic carriers to ensure that their pilots are certified to fly during the monsoon as there is a high risk of planes skidding out of control on wet runways. The DGCA has warned airlines, "It will be the responsibility of the operator (airline) to formulate a comprehensive training programme for allweather operations depending upon the flight crew experience, aeroplane capability and aerodrome facilities." When asked, a senior DGCA functionary said, "The orders in this regard have been issued to domestic airlines to ensure that all their pilots are well trained to deal with rough weather".
All airlines and aircraft operators have also been asked to formulate and conduct allweather operations (AWO) training programmes for their crew members.
The DGCA's circular also recommends the AWO training programme on simulators for initial and recurrent training and in-flight training on a particular plane type for all crew members. "Simulation techniques are a valuable training aid for limited visibility operations," says the circular.
Air India and Jet Airways officials claim their pilots have already been trained to operate on wet runways and have undergone the required refresher course. Pilots are given day-long classroom lessons besides training on simulator and route check to make them aware of route on which they would operate.
However, senior pilots told Mail Today that although simulators help, real life experiences of encountering crosswind and other turbulences are far different.
A top airline pilot said that some airports like Kochi, Mangalore, Panaji, Chennai, located on the coast, are vulnerable during monsoons.
"Besides rains and strong winds, dust particles combined with oil and rubber deposits make the runway slippery. The rubber deposit accumulates on the runway as the plane's frontwheel remains fixed for two or three seconds after hitting the touchdown point after which it starts rolling. The accumulation of rubber from plane tyres spreads for a kilometre or more on the runway. These deposits on the runway along with heavy rains and air turbulence, makes the runway slippery and dangerous for planes which may be landing at a speed of over 300 kilometres per hour," said an airline pilot. An airline pilot flying to some vulnerable airports in Southern India said Airports Authority of India (AAI) though maintains and does a periodic re-carpeting of runways on regular basis to remove rubber tracings and other unwanted deposits at international airports.
However, the work is not very regular at smaller airports. A runway is rated as good, medium and poor depending on the friction test done by AAI, which s also informed to airlines.
Carriers have complained that AAI does not conduct friction tests at airports in the presence of the airline engineers.
Top civil aviation ministry official said the DGCA must ensure that Indian carriers strictly follow the standard operating procedure for flying operations especially in backdrop of the downgrading of country's aviation sector by the US Federal Aviation Administration (USFAA) in view of poor safety records.
"Strict measures have to be enforced by DGCA as it plans to move USFAA to revoke downgrading of India's aviation," said the official.