DGCA revises norms for appointment of examiners

Aviation regulator Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a draft of revised norms to appoint designated examiners (DE) for airline operators to re-evaluate if the standard operating procedures are being followed. The revised draft norms state that an examiner should not be related to an airline operator to avoid conflict of interest between the two.

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Arun Kumar, director-general of DGCA said, “The revised draft has been made to make more specific and stringent rules for DE selection.”

DGCA defined the conflict of interest as a relationship that might influence an approved DE or nominated DE to act, either knowingly or unknowingly, in a manner that does not hold the safety of the passengers as the primary and highest priority.

DE is authorised to conduct pilot licensing skill tests, proficiency checks and upgrade route checks for the captains on behalf of DGCA. An instructor is a DGCA officer who is authorised to impart instructional training to pilots. DGCA has 200 DEs and 500 instructors.

The regulator further stated that the person applying for DE, should be an existing type rating instructor (TRI) and have functioned as a TRI on the same type (of aircraft) with the operator (airline) for a minimum period of six months preceding the date of nomination.

DGCA also stated that the applicant should not have been tested alcohol positive in the pre and post-flight medical check in the previous three years. “The re-evaluation exercise for DEs that commenced in September this year would be concluded by February 2020,” Kumar added.