New Delhi, Jan 10 In a bid to allow investigators to analyse the actions of air traffic controllers (ATCs) after an incident or accident, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has recommended the mandatory installation of video recording devices inside ATC towers at all international airports in the country.
The move comes following AAIB's investigation into a runway incident at Delhi airport in November last year, when an aircraft operated by Ariana Afghan Airlines landed on an unassigned runway at Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital.
According to reports, the aviation accident regulator, which comes under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said this move will significantly strengthen safety oversight and post-event scrutiny.
ATC towers at international airports should be equipped with systems capable of recording video as well as background communications within control rooms, it added.
According to AAIB, this data would be crucial in reconstructing events and understanding controller decision-making during abnormal or high-risk situations.
Such recordings should be made available for investigative use by both the AAIB and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
AAIB said in the report that “Safety recommendation is made to analyse the controller’s actions post any incident or accident,” emphasising the need for priority implementation at international airports in the country.
The AAIB said it has already recorded initial statements from the flight crew and air traffic controllers involved in the November incident.
In addition, approach radar recordings have been secured for further technical analysis, along with ATC communication transcripts.
The probe into the runway deviation incident is ongoing.
While the preliminary report stops short of assigning responsibility, the recommendation underlines growing regulatory focus on using technology-driven oversight tools to improve aviation safety and accountability.
Moreover, the probe has also widened its scope to include crew statements relating to other arriving and departing flights operating around the time of the incident.
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