New Delhi, Delhi
Following incidents such as the Flydubai case, calls have grown for India to strengthen the screening and assessment framework for pilots trained in India who work with foreign airlines. Aviation experts said on Friday that rigorous background checks of pilots, along with continuous assessment of aviation security systems, are essential.
Aviation expert Arvind Singhatia said that pilots trained in India who work for airlines operating overseas do not come directly under the regulatory jurisdiction of India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). In such cases, responsibility for monitoring, assessing pilots and ensuring regulatory compliance rests with the aviation authority of the country where the concerned airline is based.
Experts said that given the evolving threats in the aviation sector, cockpit security measures need to be reviewed regularly. They emphasized that security systems should not rely solely on existing regulations but should continuously evolve to address emerging and potential threats.
Discussing cockpit security, Singhatia referred to existing protocols. He said that under current aviation procedures, at least two people are required to be present in the cockpit at all times.
If a pilot leaves the cockpit temporarily for any reason, a member of the cabin crew is required to remain in the cockpit until the pilot returns.
However, Singhatia said that if a potential threat could originate from within the cockpit itself, existing security measures may need to be reassessed to address such circumstances.
Aviation experts have emphasized the need to develop a stronger assessment and background-screening mechanism for pilots trained in India who are currently working with foreign airlines.
