DGCA Fines IndiGo Officials ₹40 Lakh Over Unqualified Pilot Simulators

Overview

• The regulator imposed ₹20 lakh penalties each on IndiGo’s Director of Training and Director of Flight Operations for violations tied to simulator training at critical airports.
• DGCA found training for about 1,700 pilots was conducted on Full Flight Simulators not approved for Category C aerodromes such as Leh, Calicut and Kathmandu.
• The order cites 20 simulators across centres in Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Greater Noida, Gurugram and Hyderabad that were not qualified for Calicut and/or Leh.
• Violations were assessed under Civil Aviation Requirements and Aircraft Rules, with the breach categorized as Severity Level 5 under Rule 162.
• Demand notices direct the officials to deposit the fines in the Bharatkosh account within 30 days, with a right to appeal to the Joint Director General of Civil Aviation.