Air Turbulence

Recent near misses at Indian airports underscore the precarious state of air safety in the country. A mid-air collision was averted when Kolkata-bound Indian Airlines flight IC 206 with 43 passengers on board came dangerously close to an IAF transport aircraft. The previous day IC-866 aborted takeoff to avoid colliding with one of 3 helicopters that formed a part of President Pratibha Patil’s entourage. According to a report in the Times of India, while13 near misses were reported in 2003, the number rose to 15 in 2004, 21 in 2005 and 26 in 2006. One of the main reasons for this perilous situation is increasing congestion in air space. According to air safety consultant, Capt A Raghunath, another reason for the near misses is the severe shortage of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs). “There is a severe shortage of ATCs. What's more, they have no duty time limitations unlike in the US, Singapore, Japan and Europe. So you could have a tired ATC who might miss out a critical point.”

India has more than 10 commercial airlines, two cargo airlines, 65 non-scheduled operating airline companies and several helicopter operating firms but just four flight inspectors to conduct safety audits and to issue licenses to pilots and crews. The universal standard is one flight inspector per airline. The civil aviation minister says that there are in the process of appointing at least 15 more flight inspectors. India has been inconsistent in meeting the air safety standards of the International civil Aviation Organization and now faces the threat of being downgraded to category A, which has will put India on par with countries like Uganda and Serbia. If it is downgraded, flights from India to the US will face stringent security measures. Air safety has become such a major concern that pilots from Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher airlines have decided to set up a common forum to address the issue. “It will help synergise the vast international experience of our fellow professionals in India as well as abroad to promote passenger safety and enhance operational efficiency in the current global economic environment,” a spokesperson of the Indian Pilots’ Guild told the Times of India.

[This appeared in the in-house newspaper of the Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media on February 12, 2009. It came as the leader on the opinion & editorial page. Picture courtesy - Google images]