DGCA struggles to maintain mandated 72 FOIs

NEW DELHI: Barely a week after the US aviation regulator upgraded India's rating citing measures taken by the country to improve safety standards, two flight operations inspectors (FOIs) resigned from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The development is a concern. The upgrade had come 14 months after the US Federal Aviation Authority downgraded the local aviation regulator over lack of trained officials and full-time flight operations inspectors. The decision earlier this month to restore India's Category I rating was made based on the technical expertise the DGCA added by hiring 55 flight operations inspectors on contract.

These resignations also raise a question mark over the DGCA's ability to complete hiring of 72 FOIs as mandated under the safety requirements. DGCA sources told ET that two FOIs have resigned and a couple of more resignations are likely to come soon.
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