DGCA Orders Special Safety Audits Of 14 Major Charter Operators Following Baramati Tragedy
The DGCA has begun a special audit of non-scheduled operators, starting with 14 large charter firms, to overhaul safety standards after the January 28 Baramati Learjet crash. Audits will review maintenance, operations and crew training, with reports due by February 25. A separate probe into the crash operator is underway.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a special audit of all non-scheduled operators (NSOPs) in a decisive move to overhaul safety standards in the non-scheduled aviation sector. | File Pic
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a special audit of all non-scheduled operators (NSOPs) in a decisive move to overhaul safety standards in the non-scheduled aviation sector. The regulator will audit 14 large operators in the first phase with other operators to be included in the second phase.
Audit Triggered by Baramati Crash
The move comes after the fatal crash of Learjet 45 in Baramati on January 28 which killed Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others. The aircraft, registered as VT-SSK, was operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd.
The audit started from Monday according to DGCA’s orders and is expected to conclude by February 25. The regulator has asked all the teams to submit the audit report to DGCA headquarters within 10 days from the date of completion of the audits. A total of 14 large NSOPs have been included in the first phase.
Audit to Conclude by February 25
The list includes Air Charter Services, A R Airways, Arrow Aircrafts Sales & Charters, Chipsan Aviation, Deccan Charters, Global Vectra Helicorp, Indo Pacific Aviation, India FlySafe Aviation, Karnavati Aviation, Pawan Hans, Rajas Aerosports and Adventures, Redbird Airways, Reliance Commercial Dealers and Zest Aviation.
The DGCA’s special audit is designed to identify systemic failures. According to sources, the teams will scrutinise maintenance logs, operational control, crew training and infrastructure compliance.
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Notably, the DGCA had ordered a separate special safety audit of VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd. on February 2 by a team of six members. The audit report is due submission on February 15.
Uncontrolled Airstrips Also Under Review
Parallel to the operator audits, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has also initiated a safety review of over 400 uncontrolled airstrips across India. The goal is to implement uniform safety standards at remote strips frequently used by VIPs and private charters.
This regulatory surge follows a 2025 Parliamentary Standing Committee report which warned that India's rapid expansion in private aviation was outstripping the DGCA’s oversight capacity.
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