Captain C S Randhawa is a big name in the Indian aviation industry. The former Deputy Chief Flight Operations Inspector at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has 45 years of flying experience, including 37 years of flying Boeing aircraft and fighter planes. As President of the Federation of Indian Pilots, he has been vocal about the need to boost the safety of flying for both passengers and crew. He spoke to S. Lalitha about the way ahead for the grief-stricken industry. Excerpts:In the aftermath of one of the world’s deadliest air crashes, which took place at Ahmedabad on June 12, resulting in over 270 deaths and a spate of incidents involving helicopters, too, in the recent past, what steps do you suggest to boost safety in the country’s aviation industry?The DGCA needs to exercise greater oversight of all operators. Airlines need to be regularly asked to send reports. For instance, in one of the recent helicopter crashes at Kedarnath, which caused casualties of all on board, the private operator flew in inclement weather. All these aspects need to be brought under strict vigilance.Also, we must involve expert pilots or aviators whenever any inquiry is conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. As FIP president, I want to take up this issue with the Minister of Civil Aviation or the Prime Minister. All regulators like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the USA, the Civil Aviation Authority in the UK and European Aviation Safety Agency in Europe involve veteran pilots with much experience in such investigations.
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