New Delhi: With the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) beginning an audit of India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) from November 13, aviation experts have flagged serious concerns about the bureau’s strength and competence.
Since the bureau was constituted in 2012 with the mandate to investigate aviation accidents in the country, none of the eight investigators in the AAIB – out of a sanctioned strength of 19 – have received intensive training for their jobs.
Among other events, the bureau is looking into the bizarre incident of an Air India flight grazing the airport’s perimeter wall during take-off from Trichy and the crash of a Pawan Hans helicopter carrying seven people off the Mumbai coast.
According to sources in the civil aviation ministry, just ahead of ICAO’s audit, the authorities sent two of the investigators on the bureau’s payroll for training abroad. They also hired three new ones to bring the total strength to a “respectable number,” sparking speculation on the true intent of the move.
“The last-minute measures suggest that the purpose is not to strengthen the bureau but to somehow satisfy the auditors,” said S.S. Panesar, an air safety expert.
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ICAO is scheduled to audit three sectors – AAIB, Aerodrome and CNS (communications, navigation and surveillance services) – from November 13 to 20.
Set up in 1944, Montreal-based ICAO is a UN specialised agency which conducts audits of its 192 member countries to ensure compliance with global aviation safety measures.
Non-compliance can downgrade India’s ranking in aviation safety, which might impact the launching of new international flights.
Govt letter appointing three investigators dated October 30 just a fortnight before the ICAO audit
Shortcomings highlighted in 2015 audit
Sources in the civil aviation ministry also divulged that the ICAO had audited the same three sectors in 2015 and red-flagged some serious shortcomings. However the government has failed to meet the sanctioned strength of investigators, organise their training, and make the body free from “interference of DGCA”, the Indian civil aviation regulator.
“This time, they will see whether their concerns had been complied with,” the source said.
Sources in the DGCA say that in 2015, just before the ICAO audit, investigators were shown a PowerPoint presentation regarding various aspects of aircraft accident investigation in the name of training.
“ICAO had objected to such a farce and asked the government to enrol the investigators for proper training courses,” as per the source. “Despite ICAO’s objection, investigators have been shown the same PPT once again just before the audit and two of the investigators are being sent for training abroad now.”
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According to Panesar, the ministry has never prioritised improving the efficiency of the AAIB.
He believes that the government has ignored training AAIB investigators in the latest technology being used globally to investigate aircraft accidents. “As per my knowledge, none of the investigators have ever attended specific and relevant training,” he said.
Besides training, the independence of AAIB has also been a bone of contention between the government and ICAO. In 2015, the international body asked the government to make AAIB fully independent.
“All the eight investigators were transferred to AAIB from DGCA but they still draw their salary from DGCA and hold their identity as employees of the aviation regulator,” another source in DGCA said.