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Air India faces significant scrutiny following a recent Dreamliner crash. An audit conducted in July uncovered 51 safety violations, including inadequate pilot training, the use of unapproved simulators, and deficiencies in crew scheduling systems, according to a government report reviewed by Reuters.
While this report was not linked to the recent Boeing 787 accident that resulted in 260 fatalities in Ahmedabad, its findings have heightened concerns about the airline’s safety practices. Air India, owned by the Tata Group, is already under pressure for issues such as operating aircraft without proper emergency equipment checks, delaying engine part replacements, and falsifying maintenance records, along with other issues related to crew fatigue management.
The confidential 11-page audit from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) highlights seven major breaches that must be corrected by July 30 and 44 additional non-compliance issues due by August 23. Corrections involve addressing training gaps identified among some Boeing 787 and 777 pilots, specifically related to their monitoring duties—observations of cockpit instruments—which they had not completed before their scheduled evaluations.
Air India’s current fleet includes 34 Boeing 787s and 23 Boeing 777s, per Flightradar24 data. The report also points out operational safety concerns, such as inadequate route assessments for challenging Category C airports and training conducted on simulators that don’t meet qualification standards. This could potentially overlook safety risks during approaches to difficult airports, the DGCA noted.
The airline stated it maintained full transparency during the audit and plans to submit a detailed response with corrective measures to regulators within the required timeframe.
The preliminary investigation into June’s crash found that fuel control switches were activated almost simultaneously after takeoff, leading to pilot confusion during the incident. One pilot questioned the other about cutting off fuel, but the other denied doing so.
The DGCA regularly raises alarms about pilots exceeding their flight duty limits, and the audit revealed that a recent flight from Milan to Delhi surpassed its duty hours by over two hours, classified as a Level I non-compliance.
The inspection team included 10 DGCA officials and four additional auditors. Furthermore, the report criticizes the airline’s scheduling system, which lacks strict alerts for minimum crew deployment, leading to at least four international flights operating with insufficient cabin crew.
Since Tata’s acquisition of Air India in 2022, the airline has expanded its international reach but continues to face passenger complaints concerning cleanliness, broken amenities, and in-flight entertainment issues.
Last week, Reuters reported that senior executives, including the director of flight operations and director of training, had received notices over 29 systemic deficiencies, signaling repeated warnings ignored by the airline. The airline has committed to responding to these concerns.
The audit also identified inconsistencies in door and equipment checks, gaps in training documentation, and a lack of designated chief pilots for the Airbus A320 and A350 fleets, which undermines accountability and oversight of flight operations.
In the past year, authorities issued 23 safety violations or fines, with 11 involving Air India. The highest penalty was $127,000 for insufficient onboard oxygen on international flights.
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