377 planes identified with recurring defects: Govt

A total of 377 aircraft have been identified as having recurring defects since January last year until February 3 across various scheduled airlines. Of them, nearly three-fourths of the Air India Group's 267 planes that were analysed for repetitive defects have been identified as having recurring defects.

According to data shared by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in the Lok Sabha, in all, 377 aircraft have been identified as having recurring defects since January last year, of the total 754 aircraft analysed for such deficiencies across six scheduled airlines.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told in the Lok Sabha in response to MPs question, of the total 747 aircraft, 405 aircraft belonging to IndiGo were analysed, of which 148 were identified for repetitive defects, as on February 3, this year.

Of the 166 Air India aircraft analysed, 137 planes were identified for repetitive defects, while 54 Air India Express aircraft were identified for repetitive defects of the 101 aircraft analysed, the data showed.

Taken together, a total of 267 aircraft of Air India Group (Air India and Air India Express) were analysed, of which 191 or nearly 72 per cent were identified for repetitive defects.

Also, of the 43 aircraft of SpiceJet were analysed, 16 planes were identified for repetitive defects, and a total of 14 Akasa Air aircraft were identified for repetitive defects of the 32 aircraft analysed, according to the data.

At the same time, aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also conducted 3,890 surveillance inspections, 56 regulatory audits, 84 surveillances of foreign aircraft (SOFA) and 492 ramp checks as part of its planned surveillance activities in last year besides carrying out 874 spot checks and 550-night surveillance as part of the unplanned surveillance activities during the previous year, Mohol said.

In response to another question, the Minister said that in 2022, DGCA had 637 sanctioned technical posts and added that in order to address the shortage of manpower in the future, the restructuring has been done and the number of sanctioned technical posts has been increased to 1063.