Airlines will be able to import 20-year-old planes, DGCA has proposed amendment in the rules

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is going to change the rules related to the import of aircraft. Under this, airlines will now be allowed to import 20-year-old planes. Currently, only planes up to 18 years old are allowed to be imported into the country with certain conditions. The DGCA has released a draft amendment to the Civil Aviation Provisions (CAR).

A senior official said that in this amendment draft, it is proposed to increase the maximum age limit of passenger planes from 18 to 20 years and the age limit for low-altitude planes from 20 years to 25 years. According to the draft, pressurized aircraft imported for passenger services and general aviation operations should not be more than 20 years old. It is also necessary that such aircraft should not have used more than 65 percent of their design economic life.

As far as training and private aircraft are concerned, permission for their import will be given on a case-by-case basis. The condition for this will be that the aircraft has flown at least 50 hours in the last six months. However, aircraft older than 25 years will not be imported.

Currently, over 800 leased aircraft are in operation in the country. Indian airlines are rapidly expanding their fleet, and more than 1,400 aircraft have been ordered. Airlines are taking aircraft on short-term lease as the supply of aircraft has been affected due to disruptions in the global supply chain.