Kedarnath Yatra: DGCA Puts in Place Addl Checks for Pilots, Weather Cameras for Safe Helicopter Operations

From the installation of weather cameras at helipads to additional checks for pilots, aviation watchdog DGCA has put in place a raft of measures to ensure safe helicopter operations during the Kedarnath pilgrimage season.

The measures also come against the backdrop of instances of unpredictable weather conditions and a helicopter accident in April wherein an official was killed. Also, last October, at least seven pilgrims were killed in a helicopter crash near Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.

A senior official on Tuesday said additional hill check has been mandated for pilots operating to helipads that are located at or above 10,000 feet for the current Kedarnath yatra season, which started in April. The step will help in ensuring that pilots operating to helipads at such high altitudes are trained and checked for safe operations in the same conditions, the official added.

As part of measures by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ensure safe helicopter operations, weather cameras have been installed at the Kedarnath helipad and various vantage points en route. This is to make sure continuous availability and monitoring of actual weather conditions. The live video feed of these cameras is available in the operations room of helicopter operators and on mobile apps, for use by the pilots to enhance their decision-making ability, the official said.

Further, surveillance cameras have been installed at all operator helipads with a facility for recorded video footage for a minimum of 14 days and the arrangement will help DGCA to check the video footage for detecting any non-compliance. Among others, the official said Airborne Image Recording System has been activated.

AIRS is an image recording system installed in a particular type of helicopter that is being utilised during the yatra. “This equipment records the flying instrument indications and other flying parameters by video recording the cockpit and by recording certain parameters using GPS. The mandatory activation of this system (only in those helicopters equipped with this system) allows the benefit of post-flight analysis of the flight parameters ensuring compliance to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by pilots,” the official said.

The Kedarnath yatra started on April 25. Around 4,200 shuttle flights carrying about 23,000 passengers were operated during the period from April 25 to May 19, the official said.

Meanwhile, on April 23, a helicopter belonging to Kestrel Aviation met with an accident, involving a Uttarakhand government official, who was on an inspection visit to the Kedarnath helipad.

The official was fatally wounded by coming in contact with the rotating tail rotor when he was in the process of boarding the helicopter and had moved unnoticed towards the rear of the helicopter. Subsequently, DGCA suspended the flying operations of Kestrel Aviation and a detailed special audit of their main and operating bases was conducted.

After the satisfactory completion of the audits and implementation of corrective measures, Kestrel Aviation was cleared for operations on May 12.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)