A domestic flight was also grounded after inspectors found severely worn-out tyres. The aircraft was cleared for operation only after necessary repairs.At one of the inspected runways, the centre line marking—a critical visual guide for pilots—was found to have faded.”The rapid exit taxiway and the green centre lights were not unidirectional. The obstruction limitation data has not been updated for the last three years, and no survey has been conducted despite many new constructions around the vicinity of the aerodrome,” the statement said.The regulator also found that many ramp area vehicles lacked speed governors, which control maximum vehicle speed. The DGCA promptly cancelled their airside permits and suspended the driving permits of those responsible.Maintenance lapsesThe DGCA flagged worrying maintenance oversights. In several cases, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) failed to adhere to prescribed work orders and safety protocols.”In some instances, the AME was not attending to the snag rectification. Defect reports generated by the aircraft system were not found recorded in the technical logbook,” the statement said.”Ground handling equipments like baggage trollies and Baggage Freight Loader were found unserviceable while maintenance of Line and tool control procedures were not followed,” it added.In another lapse, a simulator used for pilot training did not match the configuration of the aircraft it was meant to replicate.”The software was not also updated to the current version,” according to the statement.“All the findings observed during the surveillance have been communicated to the concerned operators for taking necessary corrective actions within seven days,” the release added.The Director General of DGCA, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, told TNIE that similar surveillance will be conducted at Kolkata and Hyderabad airports shortly.“The objective behind this exercise is to strengthen safety measures across the aviation sector in the country,” he stressed.The DGCA has put in place a special audit framework for a “360-degree” evaluation of the country’s aviation ecosystem, in the wake of the deadly crash of a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 plane, earlier this month that killed at least 275 including all but one of the 242 people on board.
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