Introductory OPS Rules Development Workshop in India 

The DGCA India joined SARI since its inception, and like other member states, they also initiated the process of formulating new Airworthiness regulations based on the SARI regulations which were based on the EU standards. However, various factors hindered DGCA India's ability to sustain momentum in developing and implementing regulations across other domains.

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DGCA India expressed keen interest in contributing to SARI activities and proposed the inclusion of several of their requirements for the SARI Work Plan 2024, particularly focusing on Airworthiness, Air Operations, and Aircrew domains. Following coordination with the Indian Authority and the SARI Ops/Pel expert, the first on-site 5-day activity concerning the Introductory Ops Rules Development Workshop took place from 29th April to 3rd May 2024, in Delhi, India.

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The main objective of this activity was to provide a review/overview of the European Air operations (OPS) regulation, its structure, and principles including insights by the SARI Experts on Regulation drafting principles, and practical examples on how to start drafting own Air Ops regulations based on European standards. 

 

The focus of the workshop was to achieve the following: 

• To provide DGCA India officials with a comprehensive overview of EASA Aircrew regulations, including both hard and soft regulations, detailing their structure and underlying principles.

• Explore the status of rules applicable/drafted.

• Draft a roadmap leading to the implementation of Aircrew standards using EASA Aircrew Regulation 1178/2011 as a reference enabling thereby the measurement of progress within the program task and setting the applicable timelines.

• SARI expert to offer insights into regulation drafting principles and provide practical examples explaining how to initiate the drafting of Aircrew regulations based on European standards. Participants were also given the opportunity to practice regulation drafting under the expert's guidance. 

 

During the activity, presentations were given on the review of the EU Aviation Safety Rule Structure and its Principles and the applicability of Air Operations regulations. Part ARO, Part ORO, Part CAT, Part SPA, Part NCC, Part NCO and Part SPO were presented. Furthermore, a presentation on the advantages of the European regulations in general was given, including the positive impacts on Civil Aviation in India adopting the new intended Regulations based on the European Standards.  The SARI expert provided detailed explanations and practical examples of how to adapt European operational hard and soft laws to fit India's regulatory framework. The activity concluded with an example of how to draft the Rule Logs concerning Part CAT and the discussion about the low visibility operations.

 

The activity evaluated the operational regulations in place in India and provided the necessary assistance to the DGCA India to formulate regulations in alignment with the EU Ops standards, helping them in drafting competencies for drafting possible new Indian Ops requirements based on European Air Operations Regulations (Hard and Soft Law). These efforts aimed to strengthen safety measures and enhance overall performance within the DGCA India and the aviation industry.  

 

The activity hosted 17 participants from which 6 DGCA India representatives and 11 industry representatives from India including 3 SARI team representatives SARI OPS/PEL expert, Mr. Peter Wilczek; Director EU-SA APP II, Mr. Mahmood Razee; and SARI support expert Ms. Spela Jurgele.