DGCA expels AI flight safety chief

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has removed Captain A S Soman as Air India chief of flight safety following his failure to preserve flight monitoring data.

The aviation regulator’s decision to withdraw Soman’s approval as the airline’s safety head came about a month after an incident involving the national carrier’s Bangalore-Hyderabad flight in which the pilot first touched down but immediately took off again without stopping, citing bad weather. DGCA appoints a chief of flight safety in every airline who is responsible for ensuring that all the safety guidelines laid down by the regulator are followed.

Soman, however, will continue in Air India, which will decide on his next assignment. He was appointed to the post only in January.

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As per the regulator’s norms, a scheduled airline has to monitor data for every flight and this should be kept in the records for six months. Prior to issuing orders for his removal, the DGCA had served him a showcause notice after the incident was brought to its notice, sources said.

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