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.
Have aspersions been cast on the safety of wide-bodied planes manufactured by Boeing? Given your vast experience in flying this specific model, what are your thoughts on this?
I do not at all subscribe to this point of view. What has happened is a malfunctioning of the equipment/systems. This could happen to a car or even a two-wheeler. As an aircraft manufacturer, Boeing began its company in 1916, whereas Airbus, the other major player in this industry, started manufacturing aircraft only in 1970. Airbus manufactures the 320 series of aircraft. If you compare the two, one will understand that Boeing, which has been manufacturing aircraft for over a century, has had very few crashes in the past three to four decades. This is the first fatal accident on the B-787 and B-777 aircraft. Air travel is still the safest mode of travel.
Air accidents are rare and still the safest mode of travel. I have served as a pilot for 45 years. I have also flown fighter aircraft, including the A-310, Boeing 777, and Boeing 747. Throughout my entire career in commercial flying, I have had one incident involving a B-747 aircraft where the right-wing gear failed to lower due to a technical issue. All aircraft are manufactured with redundancy factored in and considering all safety aspects.
Do you think the training programme offered to pilots in India has any lacunae?
Not at all. Our training is among the best in the world. There is nothing found wanting on that front. However, when the DGCA finds any lacunae from time to time, the pilots are given additional training. Indian pilots are well-trained, and DGCA maintains vigilant oversight of airlines and other operators.
Finally, the Black Box has been recovered from the mishap involving AI 171, and the actual reason for the crash will be out soon. Based on your experience, what might have happened?
As of now, it appears as if there has been an electrical malfunction of Electronic Engine Control (EEC), which may have caused a failure of both the engines after being airborne. Additionally, the long take-off run for getting airborne is a concern, as the aircraft took off at the end of the runway. These are speculations, but facts will emerge after the decoding of the Digital Flight Data Recorder and the Cockpit Voice Recorder. Such accidents are extremely tragic in nature and should never occur. However, increased oversight by the DGCA of flight operators will improve safety measures in aviation.