DGCA fixes fee structure for services

New Delhi: In the wake of complaints of red-tape and delays, DGCA has come up with specific timelines and fee structure for its services like issuing of flying permits, airworthiness certificates, aircraft import or even clearance of flight schedules.

Proposed Tata-SIA Airline is likely to benefit from a timeline of six months that has been fixed for the issuance of an Air Operator's Permit (AOP or flying license) after a carrier gets a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Civil Aviation Ministry. Tata-SIA got the NOC on April 2.

DGCA sources said the grant of AOP was subject to condition that the applicant met all requirements and acquires desired capabilities to operate air transport services. Apart from AOP, the aviation regulator provides various other services to airlines, airports, other related bodies, apart from individual pilots or cabin crew.

So far, there were no timelines for the grant of many of these services and there were complaints of delays and red- tape from several quarters. The DGCA has now come up with a booklet called 'Standard of Services', which detail the fee structure and the maximum time by which, say a certificate would be issued or a flight schedule or a cabin crew training programme is approved. Many of the services are also provided free of cost.

The decision is understood to have been taken as a step towards meeting the requirements for getting the downgrade of India's safety mechanism revoked and the top Category-I status restored by the US Federal Aviation Administration.