Government Reports 176 Non-Scheduled Aviation Planes Lack Flight Data and Voice Recorders

The government informed the Rajya Sabha that 176 planes operated by non-scheduled and general aviation operators lack flight data and cockpit voice recorders. Aircraft under 5,700 kg must have these recorders only if certified after January 1, 2016. The Beechcraft C90A that crashed in Jharkhand last month did not have these devices, as it was certified in 1987 before the mandate. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has taken enforcement actions against Air India and Air India Express for airworthiness violations in the past five years.