DGCA Identified 377 Aircraft With Recurring Defects Since January 2025, Civil Aviation Ministry Informs Lok Sabha

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Aviation watchdog DGCA has flagged that since January 2025, it has identified 377 aircraft with recurring defects,, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The questions asked by Lok Sabha MPs sought answers on recurring technical or operational deficiencies that may have been identified.

“A total of 377 aircraft have been Identified for repetitive defects since Jan 2025 against 754 aircraft from various scheduled airlines,” Mohol said in his written reply.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also carried out an extensive range of monitoring activities including safety audits, inspections and surveillance checks in the aviation sector in 2025, the minister informed.

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As parr of the planned monitoring activities during the year, the DGCA carried out 3,890 surveillance inspections and 56 regulatory audits, he said. In addition to this, 84 surveillance checks of foreign aircraft (SOFA) were undertaken, along with 492 ramp checks to ensure compliance with safety and operational standards.

The 377 aircraft that were identified with recurring defects were part of a combined fleet of 754 aircraft operated by various scheduled airlines. Airline-wise details of these findings, as on February 3, have been provided separately in an annexure, the minister said in his reply.

In addition to the planned activities, the aviation watchdog undertook numerous unplanned surveillance measures. These included 874 spot checks and 550 night surveillance checks, aimed at monitoring airline operations and maintenance practices without prior notice.

DGCA addresses manpower shortage

The MoS also answered to a query regarding the shortage of manpower in the future.

“In year 2022, DCA had 637 number of sanctioned technical posts. In order to address shortage of manpower in future, the restructuring has been done and number of sanctioned technical posts has been increased to 1063,” Mohol said in his reply.

The minister also highlighted steps taken to strengthen real-time monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.

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“DCA has issued Surveillance and Enforcement Division Circular No. 1/2025 dated 07 July 2025, mandating the use of the eCA Portal for all surveillance activities, issuance and closure of Deficiency Reporting Form (CA-2001), and enforcement orders which enables the monitoring and tracking of the entire surveillance and enforcement process on real time basis,” the minister said in his reply.

Responding to another question on air connectivity, he wrote,“As per Winter Schedule 2025, no scheduled domestic airlines has proposed to operate scheduled flight to/from Singrauli Airport.”

Key Takeaways

• The DGCA has flagged significant recurring defects in a substantial portion of the aircraft fleet, raising concerns about aviation safety.
• Enhanced monitoring and real-time tracking systems have been implemented to address operational deficiencies.
• The aviation sector is undergoing restructuring to address manpower shortages, aiming to improve oversight and enforcement capabilities.

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