Say no to VIP pressure during poll flying: DGCA tells pilots

“Say nary to VIP pressure”, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said successful a caller bid issued connected Friday (March 27, 2026), revising norms for flying dignitaries and predetermination operations, which besides see enhanced upwind safeguards.

The DGCA’s legally binding bid is issued nether Section 4 of Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, and replaces 2 advisory circulars connected VIP flying issued successful 2014 and 2021. A transcript of the bid was reviewed by TheHindu.

Up successful the air: On non-scheduled operators, aviation safety

A cardinal proviso requires charter companies to mandatorily little VIP passengers done a pre-flight pamphlet underscoring that operational decisions indispensable stay escaped from “external pressure”, particularly connected weather, visibility and sunset operations, with pilots often reporting implicit unit to alert contempt constraints.

The guidelines clasp the existing acquisition thresholds for Pilot-in-Command (PIC) which are 3,000 hours full flying time, including 2,000 hours arsenic PIC, 50 hours of nighttime flying and 30 hours of caller PIC acquisition successful the past six months. However, they rise the minimum acquisition needed connected the aforesaid benignant of craft from 50 to 75 hours, aligning craft flying requirements with those for chopper operations.

For the archetypal time, the norms laic down eligibility criteria for co-pilots: a minimum of 500 hours of full flying acquisition and 100 hours connected benignant for aircraft, and 300 hours full with 50 hours connected benignant for chopper co-pilots. The acquisition requirements for chopper PICs stay unchanged.

Coming 2 months aft precocious Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar’s decease successful a clang astatine Baramati successful mediocre visibility conditions, the revised norms laic retired elaborate protocols for flying during specified circumstances and marque upwind radar mandatory connected board, upgrading it from an earlier “desirable” requirement. The norms besides urge cockpit information systems that pass pilots of imminent hazard of flying into crushed oregon an obstacle. The bid besides states that craft which are granted exemptions successful engineering oregon attraction requirements shall not beryllium utilized for VIP flying.

Each formation volition besides beryllium taxable to a pre-risk assessment, covering parameters specified arsenic motor show monitoring.

Flights into uncontrolled oregon smaller airstrips specified arsenic Baramati, which deficiency aerial postulation power and precocious navigational aids, volition present beryllium taxable to stricter protocols. Charter companies indispensable question written landing support oregon an NOC from territory authorities astatine slightest 24 hours successful advance, with State/district medication required to certify the availability of firefighting and rescue services earlier granting approval.

The DGCA has besides introduced a graded punishment framework, starting with a caution oregon informing to pilots, engineers oregon hose officials, escalating to licence suspension, and yet starring to cancellation of the operator’s permit.