Airlines

DGCA imposes $36,000 fine on IndiGo following tail strikes

IndiGo was fined ₹ 3 million ($36,471) by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday for committing four tail strikes in the course of six months this year. The regulator claimed that after conducting examinations, it discovered several flaws in the airline’s operations, training, and engineering procedures documentation.

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In a six-month period in the year 2023, “Indigo Airlines experienced four tail strike incidents on A321 aircraft. The DGCA performed a specialized audit of Indigo Airlines, reviewing their operational, training, engineering, and FDM programme documents and procedures. The paperwork for Indigo Airlines’ operations/training processes and engineering procedures contained several systemic flaws, according to the special audit, it said.

The government’s multiple levels of assessment judged Indigo’s response to the regulator’s show cause notice to be inadequate, according to the ministry. The company said in a statement that it is reviewing the regulator’s order and will respond as soon as possible, adding that the DGCA has given IndiGo one month to file an appeal.

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In order to comply with regulatory standards, the DGCA has ordered Interglobe Aviation, which runs IndiGo, to modify its papers and operating procedures.

The DGCA action was in response to two recent incidences in which unauthorized individuals were allowed into the cockpit during scheduled flights. The DGCA had instructed the heads of operations of all scheduled airlines in advice to “prevent any unauthorized entry in the cockpit through appropriate means.” Unauthorized individuals are not permitted in the cockpit under DGCA safety regulations, and any entry that occurs is in violation of regulations.

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Airlines

S7 Group Begins Fan Blade Production for Western Engine Models

The privately-owned Russian aerospace giant S7 Group has reportedly commenced production of blades for Western-built aero engines at its subsidiary, the Berdsk Electromechanical Plant (BEMZ), located in Novosibirsk.

This development, reported by the Russian aviation publication ATO.ru, marks a significant step for the company amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.BEMZ has started manufacturing composite fan blades compatible with jet turbine engines, including the CFM International CFM56, which powers popular aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family.

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The technology for restoring blades of gas turbine engines used in Airbus and Boeing aircraft was previously developed by the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics and is now being implemented in the production of new aircraft parts at BEMZ.

Currently, BEMZ focuses on producing parts essential for maintaining the airworthiness of civil aircraft. Over the past year and a half, the plant has manufactured approximately 3,500 structural elements and components for replacement on foreign aircraft, which are utilized by airlines such as S7 Airlines, Pobeda, Aurora, and Aeroflot.

The facility is undergoing expansion, with two stages of an investment program totaling 2 billion roubles already completed. These developments are likely geared toward producing blades for the CFM56 engines, which equip more than half of S7’s operational fleet, including 28 Airbus A320-family aircraft and 19 Boeing 737-800s.

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Vasily Yurchenko, CEO of Berdsk Electromechanical Plant, emphasized the shift in focus towards maintaining the airworthiness of the Western-made fleet. The plant has delivered thousands of components to S7 and other Russian carriers since 2022. Notably, according to Russia’s Air Operators Association, 89% of the country’s passengers in 2023 traveled aboard foreign-made aircraft.

Future plans include serious investments to transform the plant into a modern, high-tech aircraft manufacturing facility. In addition to engine blades, BEMZ is also known for producing various spare parts for aircraft, reinforcing its role in the Russian aviation industry as it adapts to new manufacturing needs.