Louisiana State Police bought a small passenger plane for $5.5 million in September that Gov. Jeff Landry has been using to travel around the state.

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30 years later: looking back at Fresno’s worst plane crash

30 years later: looking back at Fresno’s worst plane crash

30 years ago, Fresno experienced its worst aviation accident, resulting in the deaths of pilots Richard Anderson and Brad Sexton, and injuries to 21 people on the ground.


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India Not On Track with Mangalore Crash Investigation

An Indian newspaper (Okay, it is the Times of India, you dragged it out of me) has revealed that “According to Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 5 (Air Safety), Series C, Part I issued on 13 October 2006, preliminary report by the inspector of accidents/inquiry officer should be finalized within 10 days of the accident.”

Furthermore, the preliminary report should be in the format provided by International Civil Aviation Organization, and the deadline for submitting the preliminary investigation report for the May 22 Air India Express Mangalore aircrash was June 2.

Here it is nearly halfway through July and no report.

Of course, never mind that other countries take a year or more to finalize their reports. Silly of other countries. After all, other countries carefully keep the wreckage. Apparently the DGCA doesn’t think that’s necessary, because they are reported to have just thrown out the wreckage with the garbage–after having let it sit in the elements for more than a month.

A court of inquiry has been formed to investigate the Mangalore air tragedy. The information uploaded on the ministry of civil aviation’s website under the title “initial investigation report” is not the preliminary investigation report but is “only put up to keep the public informed about the progress of the investigation.”

So, if you’re wondering what happens in India when the DGCA (India’s aviation equivalent of US. FAA/NTSB) officials violate their own rules?

Apparently nothing.

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Air India’s Culture of Coercion and Fear

It’s not the Hatfields and the McCoys but it’s a feud going on between Air India and its 1,600 pilots. This is the scenario:

Pinched for money, Air India’s owes cash to pilots, employees, vendors, fuel and ground transportation suppliers; they are cutting rates and (safety) corners.

Air India is supposed to be shaping up, but they ignore rules and regulations meant to reduce pilot fatigue. Unsafe practices include changing schedules so often that some pilots refer to the company’s management style as “schedule by wake-up call.”

The Indian Pilot’s Guild sent the Star Alliance a letter exposing Air India’s culture of “coercion and fear” to compel pilots to fly long hours.

Pilots are complaining about being forced to work long hours while Air India ignores safety regulations. They can’t take off when they’re sick, for fear of being penalized, which is of course another safety violation.

After losing a billion dollars last year, Air India has applied to the Indian government for money. India’s aviation regulatory agency uncovering fraudulent pilot training and corruption in aviation administrative circles. In the face of tightening procedures, Air India will have its back against the wall if they’re going to comply with safety regulations.

Meanwhile, Air India is attempting to join the Star Alliance network of 27 airlines.

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