India
Safe airside: DGCA lays down rules for ground handling agencies operating at airports – Times of India
NEW DELHI: In a first, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a Safety standards for Ground Handling Service Providers (GHSPs) operating at Indian airportsThe regulator has issued a series of rules aimed at providing safe ground handling at airports, given the “phenomenal growth (in) aircraft movements, the corresponding increase in the complexity of ground operations and the proliferation of third-party ground handling services,” a senior DGCA Official. Ground handling agencies will have to implement these rules within six months. This was an “area that was not covered by existing regulations until now.”
The new rules include the installation of speed guns at the airside airports and also require speed limiters to be installed in some vehicles. Accidents involving vehicles driving there often occur on the airside of airports.
“Ground handling agencies are a crucial element of the airport’s aviation ecosystem. The safety, efficiency and reliability of flight operations in turn depend on the safe and effective functioning of ground handling agencies,” the official said.
The supervisor published a Civil aviation requirements (CAR) on July 8, 2024, which prescribes the framework for safe operations by GHSPs “after an extensive consultation process” with all stakeholders. “The implementation of this CAR will standardize the requirements across all GHAs and strengthen the oversight mechanism.
This CAR also specifies the training and competence requirements of ground staff who play a vital role in safe and efficient ground operations at the airports. The GHAs have been given a time frame of six months to comply with the provisions of this CAR. The robust safety mechanism “Such a measure should be implemented prospectively by the GHSPs and would help in preventing and mitigating ground incidents at the airport, thereby improving the quality of service provision in safety-sensitive functions,” the official added.
The new rules include the installation of speed guns at the airside airports and also require speed limiters to be installed in some vehicles. Accidents involving vehicles driving there often occur on the airside of airports.
“Ground handling agencies are a crucial element of the airport’s aviation ecosystem. The safety, efficiency and reliability of flight operations in turn depend on the safe and effective functioning of ground handling agencies,” the official said.
The supervisor published a Civil aviation requirements (CAR) on July 8, 2024, which prescribes the framework for safe operations by GHSPs “after an extensive consultation process” with all stakeholders. “The implementation of this CAR will standardize the requirements across all GHAs and strengthen the oversight mechanism.
This CAR also specifies the training and competence requirements of ground staff who play a vital role in safe and efficient ground operations at the airports. The GHAs have been given a time frame of six months to comply with the provisions of this CAR. The robust safety mechanism “Such a measure should be implemented prospectively by the GHSPs and would help in preventing and mitigating ground incidents at the airport, thereby improving the quality of service provision in safety-sensitive functions,” the official added.
