DGCA Introduces New Rules to Simplify Aircraft Maintenance in India
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India has announced new regulations to reduce the compliance burden for non-scheduled and general aviation operations.
Current Regulations
Currently, there are two main Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) for aircraft maintenance: CAR-M and CAR-145. CAR-M covers the airworthiness of all aircraft types, while CAR-145 focuses on the maintenance of commercial and complex motor aircraft.
New Regulations
To address the need for simpler regulations, DGCA has introduced new CARs: CAR-ML, CAR-CAO, and CAR-CAMO. These new rules align with European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards and simplify airworthiness requirements for light aircraft and those used by operators other than licensed air carriers.
Implementation
The new and revised regulations will come into effect on January 1, 2025, and will help reduce the compliance burden for operators using non-complex aircraft compared to those used in scheduled commercial operations.
Doubts Revealed
DGCA -: DGCA stands for Directorate General of Civil Aviation. It is the government body in India that oversees all aspects of civil aviation, like making sure airplanes are safe to fly.
CAR-ML -: CAR-ML stands for Civil Aviation Requirements for Maintenance Licensing. These are rules about who can fix and take care of airplanes.
CAR-CAO -: CAR-CAO stands for Civil Aviation Requirements for Combined Airworthiness Organization. These are rules for organizations that check if airplanes are safe to fly.
CAR-CAMO -: CAR-CAMO stands for Civil Aviation Requirements for Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization. These are rules for managing the ongoing safety of airplanes.
non-scheduled and general aviation operations -: Non-scheduled and general aviation operations refer to flights that are not part of regular airline schedules, like private jets or small planes used for personal or business trips.
European standards -: European standards are rules and guidelines used in Europe to make sure things are done safely and correctly. In this case, it means the new Indian rules are similar to those used in Europe for airplane safety.
airworthiness -: Airworthiness means that an airplane is safe to fly. It involves regular checks and maintenance to make sure everything is working properly.
non-complex aircraft -: Non-complex aircraft are simpler and smaller airplanes, usually used for personal or small business travel, not big commercial flights.
