E-licences for pilots in final stage, ICAO linking it to 'job aid': DGCA

NEW DELHI: Pilots in India will soon get e-licences . The Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA ) is in the final stages of introducing the same. “The International Civil Aviation Organisation ( ICAO ) is vetting the same as our e-licences have to be linked to their job aid,” said a senior official.

ICAO website says the purpose of this job aid “is to provide necessary information to civil aviation safety inspectors while verifying an electronic personnel license (EPL) of a pilot issued by the issuing authority during a ramp inspection.” It enables EPL offline verification during such checks. ICAO is the United Nations' specialised agency for aviation.

“The ICAO vetting and linkage to job aid should happen quickly and we are hopeful of rolling out EPL for pilots in India very soon,” said the official.

The DGCA is rolling out EPLs for other categories. Last month it announced that paperless or digital licences for air traffic controllers (ATCOs) will soon be introduced. Controllers will then be able to access and manage these electronic licenses on their mobiles and tablets, improving the former’s operational efficiency. “This innovative move signifies a pivotal shift in the management of personnel licenses, ushering in an era of enhanced efficiency and modernisation within the Indian aviation landscape,” the regulator had said in a statement then.

“The introduction of electronic license… underscores DGCA’s strategic vision of embedding technological innovation within its regulatory framework, driving India’s civil aviation sector towards enhanced performance and global competitiveness. The digital license also compliments DGCA India’s commitment to environment-friendly initiatives, as the process of printing of licenses will be completely dispensed away with,” the regulator’s statement last month had said.

By moving away from cumbersome paper-based systems to a fully digital platform, the electronic license “revolutionises the way ATCOs manage their licenses. Licenses will be securely stored and readily accessible through smartphones and tablets, allowing for real-time updates and immediate access to license information.”