Head: A case of multiple failures, at too many checkpoints

Anjuli Bhargava

In yet another instance that raises more questions than it answers, the director general of civil aviation (DGCA) transferred the director in the directorate of flying training (DFT) to drone operations with no explanation or reasons. The director had taken charge of flying training only in August 2024, but he was transferred on January 30, well before his three-year term was over.

Nobody barring a few might know the actual reason, but here’s what the industry has surmised. A complaint letter by the president of the association of flight training organisations (FTOs) sent on January 21 to the head of flight safety raises a red flag with regard to the training operations of a Kanpur FTO. The FTO in question was using its aircraft to train students and violating a few civil aviation requirements in the process.

Three primary violations were brought to the attention of the authorities: One, the aircraft of the flying school were not equipped with transponders, an electronic device that sends and receives signals with air traffic control (ATC) and other aircraft. Transponders are essential for safe and efficient flight operations and a civil aviation requirement (CAR) was issued over two decades ago in 2003 that all aircraft must be fitted with these. Two,........

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