http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=308016&ssid=50&sid=BUS
DGCA starts strict monitoring of services of airline crew 
 
New Delhi, July 09: Armed with powers to deal with indiscipline among the crew of airlines operating in the country, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has started strict monitoring of their services to ensure they adhere to rules and initiated penal action against some guilty staffers.

It has issued stringent directives to airlines to take effective measures to check indiscipline, and asked some of them even to terminate the services of certain erring staff and suspend some others, airport sources said.

Following the directives, Air Sahara terminated the services of two cabin crew members after they were found smoking in the lavatory of an aircraft which was on its way to Singapore about a fortnight ago, the sources said. Smoking is strictly prohibited in aircraft under international rules.

Similarly, two Jet Airways cabin crew members were suspended as they boarded a flight in Chennai even after failing the pre-flight alcohol test, they said.

Under the aircraft rules, no person operating as a crew member should consume alcohol before a flight.

The sources said the DGCA in June mounted strict surveillance and carried out pre-flight medical examination of the crew members of all airlines operating in the country.

The checks also led public sector Indian to suspend two of its crew members, including a lady co-pilot, for leaving their seats when the seat-belt sign was on while flying on the Delhi-Mumbai sector.

The rule has to be strictly followed, especially during the monsoon season when there is greater turbulence in the air, the sources said, adding that the two crew members of Indian were suspended for not adhering to ****pit discipline.

DGCA officials were not available for comments on the issue.

The union cabinet had on June 22 cleared a draft legislation to grant more regulatory powers to the DGCA by amending the 72-year old aircraft act, including imposition of penalty for acts of indiscipline that could lead to safety hazards in flights.

The bill is likely to be tabled and passed in the ensuing monsoon session of Parliament.

The punishment for flouting rules is proposed to be enhanced from a low level of Rs 1,000 at present to Rs ten lakh, and imprisonment of three months now to two years.

The Cabinet approved these and other proposals to amend the 1934 act to enable DGCA to exercise greater control over key issues like air traffic management and operation of foreign registered planes in Indian skies.

Through the proposed amendment, the DGCA would acquire powers to exercise supervisory control on standards of airports, communication, navigation and surveillance and air traffic management facilities.

DGCA's powers would also be enlarged to cover regulation of air transport services, prohibition of flights over specified areas, ban on slaughtering and flaying of animals within a 10-km radius of airports and safety oversight functions.

The decision to amend the law was taken in view of major developments in aviation and the switch over of communication, navigation, surveillance & air traffic management facilities from ground-based to satellite-based technology. In the recent past, a need was also felt to lay down proper safeguards to ensure aviation security.

Powers are proposed to be granted to DGCA to grant licences to air traffic control personnel, in line with those given to pilots, to maintain standards and level of proficiency.

In accordance with international standards, the proposed amendment would include the word "incident" along with "accident", making a clear distinction between them.

"Accident" would be defined in case of a person being fatally or seriously injured during a flight or if the aircraft sustains substantial damage or structural failure or the plane is missing or completely inaccessible.

"Incident" would be defined as an occurrence of a nature other than an "accident", which is associated with operation of an aircraft.

In the 9W Chennai case, the lady tried to get away by saying it was mouthwash. When asked to take the straight line test, kept falling like a potato.