The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has introduced a series of stricter safety regulations for non-scheduled flight operators (NSOPs), stating that aviation safety failures cannot be attributed solely to pilots and must instead be addressed at an organisational level. The new measures were announced following recent aircraft accidents that raised concerns about operational standards in the charter and private aviation sector.
The regulator’s decision comes after two fatal crashes within a month involving non-scheduled operators, including a recent air ambulance accident in Jharkhand that killed seven people and an earlier crash near Baramati on January 28 in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others lost their lives. In response, the DGCA convened a high-level meeting with all NSOP operators to review safety practices and reinforce compliance requirements.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the DGCA emphasised that safety must take precedence over commercial pressures, charter commitments, or VIP movements. The regulator stressed that organisational leadership bears primary responsibility for maintaining safety standards and must ensure that operational decisions are not compromised by business considerations. It also reaffirmed that the Pilot-in-Command retains full authority to delay, divert, or cancel flights for safety reasons, and such decisions must be respected without imposing commercial penalties.
One of the most significant reforms announced is the introduction of mandatory public disclosure requirements. Non-scheduled operators will now be required to publish key safety-related information on their websites, including details about aircraft age, maintenance history, and pilot experience. The DGCA said this measure is intended to improve transparency and allow customers to make informed decisions when chartering aircraft.
The regulator is also planning to introduce a formal safety ranking system for NSOP operators. Criteria for evaluation will be established by the DGCA, and the resulting rankings will be made publicly available on the regulator’s website, creating an additional layer of accountability and encouraging operators to maintain higher safety standards.
To strengthen oversight, the DGCA will conduct intensive audits across the sector. These will include increased random audits of Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVRs), as well as cross-verification of ADS-B flight data, fuel records, and technical logs to identify unauthorised operations or potential falsification of records. Particular scrutiny will be applied to older aircraft and those undergoing ownership transfers, which the regulator identified as higher-risk categories.
Operators that run their own Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities will also face detailed inspections. If such facilities are found inadequate, companies may be required to outsource maintenance work to approved external organisations to ensure compliance with safety norms.
The DGCA issued a strong warning regarding management accountability, stating that senior executives and accountable managers would be held personally responsible for systemic violations. The regulator made it clear that safety lapses cannot be shifted onto pilots alone. At the same time, pilots found breaching Flight Duty Time Limitations or attempting landings below prescribed safety minima could face severe penalties, including suspension of licences for up to five years. Operators failing to comply with regulations may also face fines or suspension of operating permits.
Additional directives include establishing real-time weather monitoring systems and ensuring strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures. The regulator also announced a two-phase special safety audit programme, with the first phase expected to conclude in early March and a second phase covering remaining operators thereafter. A dedicated safety workshop will follow the audit process to align all stakeholders with the updated operational standards.
The DGCA said the measures were shaped by an analysis of accident data from the past decade, which identified non-compliance with standard procedures, inadequate flight planning, and gaps in training as the primary causes behind many aviation incidents. The new framework aims to address these systemic issues and reinforce safety culture across India’s non-scheduled aviation sector.
