DGCA Fines Vistara for Letting Improperly Trained Pilot Land Flight in Indore

The pilot landed the aircraft at the Indore airport without first receiving the requisite training in a simulator.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation regulator, on Thursday, 2 June, imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Vistara airline for letting an improperly trained pilot land an aircraft with passengers on board at the Indore airport, officials said.

The pilot, who was the first officer on the flight, landed the aircraft at the Indore airport without first receiving the requisite training in a simulator, officials of the DGCA said.

"This was a serious violation endangering lives of the passengers on board," a DGCA official noted.

It is currently unclear where the aircraft took off from and when it exactly happened. A Vistara spokesperson said that the incident took place in August 2021 but did not specify the date.

What Are the DGCA's Rules?

First officers have to be trained on how to land an aircraft in a simulator before they can land an aircraft with passengers on board. Captains are also trained in a simulator before they can let a first officer land the aircraft under their supervision.

The captain as well as the first officer of the Indore flight had not trained in a simulator but the first officer was still allowed to conduct the landing at the airport, DGCA officials said, citing the probe as the reason for the delay in taking action against the airline.

A fine of Rs 10 lakh has, therefore, been levied on Vistara for granting landing clearance to the first officer without conducting requisite training, they said.

A Vistara spokesperson said that a flight to Indore conducted a supervised take-off and landing (STOL) in August 2021 under the supervision of an experienced captain.

"The pilots were adequately trained and in possession of valid STOL certificates issued by their previous employer for which Vistara claimed the credit," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Vistara voluntarily reported to regulatory authorities that it had missed the training that was to be conducted in line with regulatory requirements, which led to the regrettable violation, the spokesperson said.

According to the DGCA's rules, a new employer has to conduct simulator-based training again before allowing a first officer to conduct supervised landing of an aircraft.

(This story has been published in arrangement with PTI.)