OLEUM &

E TR EN
FP
ER
YO

GY

u
UNIV ER SIT

ST U DI ES

fo
n ~;
k ; k ‘ kf D r o’
k~ e
UNIT 8 Role of DGCA/BCAS in Aviation Safety and Security 173

Unit 8 Notes
__________________
__________________
Role of DGCA/BCAS in __________________

Aviation Safety and Security __________________

__________________
__________________

Objectives __________________
__________________
After reading this unit, you will be able to:
__________________
y Understand Basic Concept of DGCA
__________________
y Discuss Main Functions of DGCA
y Know about Basic Concept of BCAS
y Understand BCAS as an Organisation

THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CIVIL AVIATION

DGCA is the regulatory authority for all matters pertaining
to Civil Aviation in India and consists of a number of
Directorates like Administration Directorate, Aerodrome
Standards Directorate, Air Safety Directorate, Air Transport
Directorate, Airworthiness Directorate, Flight Inspection
Directorate, Information & Regulation Directorate,
Research & Development Directorate, and Training &
Licensing Directorate.

The responsibility of Aviation Safety for all the civil

registered aircraft in the country, including investigation of
air accidents and preventive measures to be devised, issuing
safety instructions (In the form of Air Safety circulars, Civil
Air Requirements, Aeronautical Information Circulars etc.)
rests solely with DGCA.

Main Functions of DGCA

l Registration of civil aircraft

l Formulation of standards of airworthiness for civil

aircraft registered in India and grant of certificates of
airworthiness to such aircraft
 OLEUM &
E TR EN
FP

ER
YO

GY
u

UNIV ER SIT

ST U DI ES
174 Aviation Safety and Security Management fo
n ~;
k ; k ‘ k f D r o’
k~ e

Notes l Licensing of pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers and

__________________ flight engineers, and conducting examinations and
__________________ checks for that purpose
__________________
l Licensing of air traffic controllers
__________________
__________________ l Certification of aerodromes and CNS/ATM facilities
__________________ l Maintaining a check on the proficiency of flight crew,
__________________ and also of other operational personnel such as flight
__________________ dispatchers and cabin crew
__________________
l Granting of Air Operator's Certificates to Indian carriers
__________________ and regulation of air transport services operating to/
from/within/over India by Indian and foreign operators,
including clearance of scheduled and non-scheduled
flights of such operators

l Conducting investigation into accidents/incidents and

taking accident prevention measures including
formulation of implementation of Safety Aviation
Management Programmes

l Carrying out amendments to the Aircraft Act, the

Aircraft Rules and the Civil Aviation Requirements for
complying with the amendments to ICAO Annexes, and
initiating proposals for amendment to any other Act or
for passing a new Act in order to give effect to an
international Convention or amendment to an existing
Convention

l Coordination of ICAO matters with all agencies and

sending replies to State Letters, and taking all necessary
action arising out of the Universal Safety Oversight
Audit Programme (USOAP) of ICAO

l Supervision of the institutes/clubs/schools engaged in

flying training including simulator training, AME
training or any other training related with aviation, with
a view to ensuring a high quality of training

l Granting approval to aircraft maintenance, repair and

manufacturing organizations and their continued
oversight
 OLEUM &
E TR EN
FP
ER
YO

GY

u
UNIV ER SIT

ST U DI ES

fo
n ~;
k ; k ‘ kf D r o’
k~ e
UNIT 8 Role of DGCA/BCAS in Aviation Safety and Security 175
l To act as a nodal agency for implementing Annex 9 Notes
provisions in India and for coordinating matters relating __________________
to facilitation at Indian airports including holding __________________
meetings of the National Facilitation Committee __________________

l Rendering advice to the Government on matters relating __________________

to air transport including bilateral air services __________________

agreements, on ICAO matters and generally on all __________________
technical matters relating to civil aviation, and to act __________________
as an overall regulatory and developmental body for civil __________________
aviation in the country; __________________

l Coordination at national level for flexi-use of air space __________________

by civil and military air traffic agencies and interaction
with ICAO for provision of more air routes for civil use
through Indian air space;

l Keeping a check on aircraft noise and engine emissions

in accordance with ICAO Annex 16 and collaborating
with the environmental authorities in this matter, if
required;

l Promoting indigenous design and manufacture of

aircraft and aircraft components by acting as a catalytic
agent;

l Approving training programmes of operators for

carriage of dangerous goods, issuing authorizations for
carriage of dangerous goods, etc.

Most of the functions stated above are safety related so as to

maintain and enhance suitable level of Safety standards for
Civil Aviation. Out of the above, the Aerodrome Standards
Directorate in the DGCA has been entrusted with the
responsibilities of licensing of aerodromes, Safety audits and
Aerodrome standards etc. The functions of the Air Safety
Directorates are Investigation of Civil Registered aircraft
accidents, Accident to foreign registered aircraft in India,
Accident to Indian registered aircraft out side India,
Investigation of Civil Registered aircraft Incidents, and
Accident/Incident Prevention work. The Airworthiness
Directorate carries out the regulatory control of
airworthiness to ensure that the civil aircraft are airworthy.
 OLEUM &
E TR EN
FP

ER
YO

GY
u

UNIV ER SIT

ST U DI ES
176 Aviation Safety and Security Management fo
n ~;
k ; k ‘ k f D r o’
k~ e

Notes The Flight Inspection Directorate (FID) conducts regular

__________________ Inspections and Surveillance of Scheduled Airlines and their
__________________ aircrew in particular to ensure effective implementation of
__________________ safety related Standards and Recommended Practices
__________________ contained in the ICAO Annexes, particularly Annex 6, and
the relevant Rules, Regulations, Procedures and
__________________
Requirements laid down in Aircraft Rules, Civil Aviation
__________________
Requirements, Aeronautical Information Circulars, AIP India
__________________
etc.
__________________
__________________
DGCA issues Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs),
Aeronautical Information Circulars (AICs), Air Safety
__________________
Circulars and other circulars for implementation of various
safety measures in Aviation.

The CARs are divided into various sections covering various

aspects of Civil Aviation like General (Section 1),
Airworthiness (Section 2) , Air Transport (Section 3),
Aerodrome Standards and Air Traffic Services (Section 4),
Air Safety (Section 5), Design Standards and Type
Certification (Section 6), Flight Crew Standards, Training
and Licensing (Section 7) and Aircraft Operations (Section
8). These CARs are issued keeping the safety consideration
in view; and are required to be followed by all concerned.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security was initially set up as
a Cell in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
in January 1978 on the recommendation of the Pande
Committee constituted in the wake of the hijacking of the
Indian Airlines flight on 10th September , 1976. The role of
the Cell was to coordinate, monitor, inspect and train
personnel in Civil Aviation Security matters.

The BCAS was reorganized into an independent department

on 1st April, 1987 under the Ministry of Civil Aviation as a
sequel to the Kanishka Tragedy in June 1985. The main
responsibility of BCAS is to lay down standards and
measures in respect of security of civil flights at International
and domestic airports in India.
 OLEUM &
E TR EN
FP
ER
YO

GY

u
UNIV ER SIT

ST U DI ES

fo
n ~;
k ; k ‘ kf D r o’
k~ e
UNIT 8 Role of DGCA/BCAS in Aviation Safety and Security 177
ORGANISATION Notes
__________________
BCAS is the regulatory authority for civil aviation security
__________________
in India. It is headed by an officer of the rank of Director
__________________
General of Police and is designated as Commissioner of
__________________
Security (Civil Aviation).
__________________
l Commissioner of security (CA) is the appropriate __________________
authority for implementation of Annexure 17 to Chicago
__________________
convention of International civil aviation organization
__________________
(ICAO).
__________________
l Commissioner of security (CA) is responsible for the __________________
development, implementation and maintenance of the
National Civil Aviation Security Programme.

l BCAS Hqrs is located at "A" Wing, I-III floor, Janpath

Bhavan, Janpath, New Delhi-110001. It has got four
Regional Offices located at International airports i.e.
Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, headed by an
officer of the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Security
(CA).

FUNCTIONS
l Laying down Aviation Security Standards in accordance
with Annex 17 to Chicago Convention of ICAO for airport
operators, airlines operators, and their security agencies
responsible for implementing AVSEC measures.

l Issuance of Aviation Security Circulars containing policy

decisions and advisory information for the information,
reference and implementation by concerned
organizations.

l Monitoring the implementation of security rules and

regulations and carrying out survey of security needs.

l Ensure that the persons implementing security controls

are appropriately trained and possess all competencies
required to perform their duties.

l Planning and coordination of Aviation security matters.

l Conducting -
 OLEUM &
E TR EN
FP

ER
YO

GY
u

UNIV ER SIT

ST U DI ES
178 Aviation Safety and Security Management fo
n ~;
k ; k ‘ k f D r o’
k~ e

Notes a. Surprise/Dummy checks to test professional

__________________ efficiency and alertness of security staff.
__________________
b. Mock exercise to test efficacy of Contingency Plans
__________________
and operational preparedness of the various
__________________ agencies.
__________________
It may therefore be seen that overall security policy,
__________________
regulations, implementation, monitoring of airport and
__________________
airline security in the country rests with BCAS. In fact BCAS
__________________
plays a very important role in the matters related to Civil
__________________ Aviation Security such as anti-hijacking, anti-sabotage, Bomb
__________________ Threat & Bomb Detection etc.

References
9. DGCA Website http://dgca.nic.in/ also http://dgca.gov.in/

10. AAI website http://aai.aero/AAI/

11. BCAS website http://www.bcasindia.nic.in/

12. Ministry of Civil Aviation website http://

civilaviation.nic.in/

13. Various related ICAO Annexes & Documents

14. Indian Aircraft Manual

Questions
General Questions.
1. What are the main functions/responsibilities of BCAS
in India?

2. What are the main functions/responsibilities of DGCA

in India?

Objective Type of questions

a. Regulatory authority of Civil aviation Security in India
is -----

b. Registration of an Indian Civil aircraft is done by -----

c. A pilot, who is retired from Indian Air Force, but flying

 OLEUM &
E TR EN
FP
ER
YO

GY

u
UNIV ER SIT

ST U DI ES

fo
n ~;
k ; k ‘ kf D r o’
k~ e
UNIT 8 Role of DGCA/BCAS in Aviation Safety and Security 179
as a commander in Air India can get his B747 licence Notes
renewed from IAF-True/False. __________________
__________________
Answers to Objective Type of questions __________________

a. BCAS __________________
__________________
b. DGCA
__________________
c. False __________________
__________________
__________________
__________________