Pvt jet owners get DGCA to scrap ‘proving flight’ rule
After months of lobbying the government, business jet owners tasted victory on Sunday with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) doing away with the mandatory proving flights.
The DGCA had withdrawn permissions given to all air operator permit (AOP) holders to fly worldwide unless they apply to fly on a region-wise basis (unlike the blanket permission available to fly worldwide at present) and then follow it up by carrying out a proving flight to the desired region.
Without the proving flight, their operations would be restricted to India. Questioning the rule, business jet owners rejected it and demanded proof that their overseas counterparts are subjected to same standards.
India has 13 scheduled airlines and 122 non-scheduled operators who will now have to apply for a fresh certification. The new rules replace the directive that required proving flights to be carried from July 1.
The Business Aircraft operators Association (BAOA) had argued that proving flights would hit non-scheduled operators hard as they have unplanned operations and it would be difficult for them to get permits for destinations yet to be decided.
Former DGCA chief Kanu Gohain said, “It is good that the rule has been amended. Charter operations are based on demand, and service requests come up at short notice. Given that their operations are non-planned, it would have become difficult for them to meet requirements for region-specific approvals as per the new rule.”
A BJOA member added that a proving flight would have meant spending a lot. “It would have involved positioning crew, and taking along an FOI of the DGCA along. We are glad that our reasoning worked to the benefit of the industry,” the member, who declined to be named, said.
The DGCA had withdrawn permissions given to all air operator permit (AOP) holders to fly worldwide unless they apply to fly on a region-wise basis (unlike the blanket permission available to fly worldwide at present) and then follow it up by carrying out a proving flight to the desired region.
Without the proving flight, their operations would be restricted to India. Questioning the rule, business jet owners rejected it and demanded proof that their overseas counterparts are subjected to same standards.
Now, instead of proving flights, business jet owners will have to demonstrate their capability across the table before DGCA’s Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs). As per the latest directive, the aviation regulator will grant permissions to all air operator permit (AOP) holders to fly worldwide after they suitably prove their capability in terms of aircraft, crew and other parameters. A senior FOI said, “We have ensured that a table top demonstration of flight operations meets the requirements of the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA).” Officials said except the proving flight to the foreign destination desired, the paperwork and requirements remain the same, since the idea is to have a regulatory oversight to ensure required safety norms are being met.
India has 13 scheduled airlines and 122 non-scheduled operators who will now have to apply for a fresh certification. The new rules replace the directive that required proving flights to be carried from July 1.
The Business Aircraft operators Association (BAOA) had argued that proving flights would hit non-scheduled operators hard as they have unplanned operations and it would be difficult for them to get permits for destinations yet to be decided.
Former DGCA chief Kanu Gohain said, “It is good that the rule has been amended. Charter operations are based on demand, and service requests come up at short notice. Given that their operations are non-planned, it would have become difficult for them to meet requirements for region-specific approvals as per the new rule.”
A BJOA member added that a proving flight would have meant spending a lot. “It would have involved positioning crew, and taking along an FOI of the DGCA along. We are glad that our reasoning worked to the benefit of the industry,” the member, who declined to be named, said.
