NEW DELHI: In light of the recent mishaps involving a Kestrel Aviation helicopter at Uttarakhand on Saturday (June 7) and a spate of accidents in the recent past along the Char Dham route, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday said it is considering curtailing helicopter operations in Uttarakhand.
In a related development, two shuttle operators ferrying to Kedarnath were found to have violated the Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) on Monday and their operations were temporarily suspended.
DGCA has suspended the operations of Kestrel Aviation Pvt Ltd pending investigations into the mishap on Saturday (June 7) in which its helicopter was involved. The chopper with six passengers including a pilot, crash-landed onto a highway below and collided with a car, damaging its tail while crushing the car. The pilot sustained minor injuries, and all the passengers escaped unhurt. Another operator was suspended last month, it added in a statement.
In a related development, two shuttle operators ferrying to Kedarnath were found to have violated the Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) on Monday and their operations were temporarily suspended.
An official release from DGCA said, "Directives have been issued to all helicopter operators, restricting operations to OGE (Out of Ground Effect) conditions until further orders. As a precautionary measure, DGCA is also reviewing the necessity of curtailing the helicopter operations to Char Dham if required. "
Elaborating on OGE, a senior DGCA official said that this permitted only less load to be carried in each aircraft. "For Kedarnath operations if done in OGE, it will entail a minimum of one passenger less in every sortie for AS350 type of helicopter. For Bell 407 type of helicopter, operations will have to be curtailed to only one or two shuttles followed by a refuelling halt." Presently, operations are in IGE (In Ground Effect) and this allows a higher amount of load to be carried.
Two operators suspended
On Monday (June 9), two helicopter operators conducting shuttle and charter services to Kedarnath from their respective helipads failed to adhere to SOPs, particularly regarding proper helicopter parking procedures, the DGCA said. "As a result, swift action was taken, and their operations were suspended for two hours," it said.
This was an outcome of DGCA intensifying its safety oversight of Char Dham helicopter operations by actively monitoring live camera feeds provided by the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) at Kedarnath, it added. "Any deviation from SOP by helicopter operators is detected in real time, allowing for immediate corrective measures," the regulator added.
Special audits and enhanced surveillance of helicopter operators involved in shuttle services and charter operations in Uttarakhand has been ordered by the regulator. The multiple occurrences involving helicopter operations during the Char DhamYatra in Uttarakhand have underscored the necessity for further strengthening the safety oversight, it said. "Safety investigation has been initiated for each of these occurrences to identify contributing factors, including mechanical failures, operational errors, and weather rrelated challenges," DGCA added.On Monday (June 9), two helicopter operators conducting shuttle and charter services to Kedarnath from their respective helipads failed to adhere to SOPs, particularly regarding proper helicopter parking procedures, the DGCA said. "As a result, swift action was taken, and their operations were suspended for two hours," it said.
This was an outcome of DGCA intensifying its safety oversight of Char Dham helicopter operations by actively monitoring live camera feeds provided by the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) at Kedarnath, it added. "Any deviation from SOP by helicopter operators is detected in real time, allowing for immediate corrective measures," the regulator added.
Special audits and enhanced surveillance of helicopter operators involved in shuttle services and charter operations in Uttarakhand has been ordered by the regulator. The multiple occurrences involving helicopter operations during the Char DhamYatra in Uttarakhand have underscored the necessity for further strengthening the safety oversight, it said. "Safety investigation has been initiated for each of these occurrences to identify contributing factors, including mechanical failures, operational errors, and weather rrelated challenges," DGCA added.