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India's Aviation Blind Spot: Over 170 Planes Missing Key Safety Gear
16 Mar
Summary
- 176 non-scheduled and general aviation planes lack flight data recorders.
- Older aircraft may not meet mandatory cockpit voice recorder rules.
- Over 1,200 technical snags reported across Indian airlines in three years.
In India, 176 aircraft registered with non-scheduled and general aviation operators are not equipped with essential flight data or cockpit voice recorders, as reported to the Rajya Sabha. The mandatory installation of these recorders is subject to specific regulations, with older aircraft that received airworthiness certificates before January 1, 2016, not always being required to have them. This policy impacts planes with a take-off weight below 5,700 kilograms.
The situation underscores past regulatory gaps, as evidenced by a recent Beechcraft C90A crash in Jharkhand last month, which claimed seven lives. This aircraft, certified in 1987, lacked the required recorders due to the absence of such mandates at the time of its certification.
Furthermore, the aviation sector faces ongoing challenges with technical issues. Data indicates that 1,244 technical snags were reported across various Indian airlines over the last three years, with 470 incidents in 2023 and 353 in 2025. In a separate matter, one aircraft each from Air India and Air India Express were found in violation of airworthiness certificate requirements within the past five years, leading to enforcement actions by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
