Additionally, a physical workshop on safety will be convened following the completion of current intensive audits to ensure all stakeholders are aligned with these new operational mandates,” it added.IN VIEW of the recent spurt in accidents and incidents involving small aircraft — mostly operated by charter flight operators — aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced a slew of measures on Tuesday in a bid to enforce a “zero-tolerance policy” on flight safety among the non-scheduled operators (NSOPs). The regulator stressed that the pilots’ decision to divert, delay, or cancel a flight for safety reasons is final and must be respected by operators irrespective of commercial consequences.The DGCA also announced new public disclosure requirements for NSOPs, a public safety ranking system, strengthening of oversight through intensive audits of flight data, increased scrutiny of maintenance records of older planes, stricter liability norms for the NSOP’s management, and sterner penalties for pilots for violation of operational limits.The announcement came after the DGCA held a high-level meeting with all NSOPs a day after an small aircraft— operating as an air ambulance — crashed in Jharkhand, killing all seven persons on board. The crash came less than a month after a chartered jet crashed in Maharashtra’s Baramati, killing then Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others.NSOPs are flight service providers that provide on-demand and non-regular air transport services like charter flights, private jets, and air ambulances. Unlike commercial airlines, NSOPs don’t have fixed and published schedules. Over the past few years, flight safety in NSOP operations have been flagged as an area of concern by aviation safety experts. Weak safety oversight, poor maintenance, inadequate risk assessment, and training lapses have been cited by experts as key reasons behind the growing number of incidents involving smaller aircraft. NSOP operations have also come under criticism for ignoring safety issues for commercial considerations or under pressure from VIP clients.“This high-level interaction follows a comprehensive review of accident data from the past decade, which identifies non-adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), inadequate flight planning, and training deficiencies as the primary causative factors in aircraft accidents. Consequently, the regulator has announced a set of new measures aimed at enforcing a zero-tolerance policy toward safety compromises within the NSOP sector,” the DGCA said on Tuesday.It emphasized to NSOPs that safety must remain the “absolute priority, superseding all commercial considerations, charter commitments, or VIP movements”. The regulator said that it is implementing several immediate measures to address “systemic weakness in decision-making” to ensure operational discipline and strict adherence to all safety-critical rules.“In a significant move toward transparency, the regulator is introducing a mandatory disclosure policy. NSOP operators will be required to disclose critical safety information on their websites, including aircraft age, maintenance history, and pilot experience. This ensures that customers are fully informed about the standards of the aircraft they charter…The regulator is planning to implement a safety ranking mechanism of all non-scheduled operators and the criteria for such ranking, safety rankings will be published on the DGCA website for public information,” the DGCA said.Story continues below this adThe regulator also announced that it will increase random cockpit voice recorder (CVR) audits and cross-verify flight data, fuel records, and technical logs to detect unauthorised operations or falsification of data.“Accountable managers and senior leadership will be held personally responsible for systemic non-compliances; safety lapses cannot simply be blamed on pilots…Pilots found violating Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) or attempting to land below safety minima may face license suspensions of up to five years. Operators failing to meet compliance standards will be penalised and licenses/permits may be suspended,” the DGCA said.The safety regulator also announced that increased monitoring will be applied to older aircraft and those undergoing ownership changes, and will audit NSOPs that run their own Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities. Those found lacking adequacy will be required to outsource maintenance to DGCA-approved MROs.“The regulator noted that weather-related accidents are often the result of poor judgment rather than unpredictability of weather. Operators are mandated to establish real-time weather update systems and strict compliance of established SOPs. Additionally, recurrent training for pilots must have greater emphasis on weather awareness strategies and decision-making in uncontrolled environments,” the DGCA said.Story continues below this ad“Subsequent to the completion of phase 1 of special safety audit of NSOPs in early March, 2026, Phase 2 covering the rest of the NSOPs will be undertaken. Additionally, a physical workshop on safety will be convened following the completion of current intensive audits to ensure all stakeholders are aligned with these new operational mandates,” it added. Sukalp Sharma is a Deputy Associate Editor with The Indian Express and writes on a host of subjects and sectors, notably energy and aviation. He has over 16 years of experience in journalism with a body of work spanning areas like politics, development, equity markets, corporates, trade, and economic policy. He considers himself an above-average photographer, which goes well with his love for travel. ... 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