

Mint Explainer | How Air India blundered by missing a routine airworthiness review for an aircraft
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India's aviation regulator is investigating how Air India operated an aircraft for two days in November without a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC), a document that ensures compliance with safety standards. The regulator did not name the aircraft type but referenced the registration code of an Airbus A320 (VT TQN), implying that it was a single-aisle (narrow body) jet.
Air India, admitting the lapse, ordered an internal inquiry into the matter and suspended eight staffers. Mint breaks down the process of getting airworthiness certificates, how the slip-up may have happened, and what’s next for the airline as the regulator investigates the matter. Airworthiness certificates validate the safety of aircraft for commercial operations.
There are two types of airworthiness certificates. One is the Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the other is the Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC), which is the mandatory annual renewal document issued or approved by the DGCA. The C of A confirms that an aircraft was manufactured and modified according to the engineering and safety specifications set by the manufacturer and that it has been physically inspected and is deemed safe for flight at the time of issue.
The C of A is issued when a new or imported aircraft is registered for the first time in India. The ARC ensures continuing airworthiness of an aircraft. It is issued after a comprehensive annual review of its maintenance history and records and has cleared a physical inspection to verify compliance with all airworthiness standards.
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