DGCA Plans to Allow Import of Aircraft Up to 20 Years Old

• DGCA to raise aircraft import age limits
• Move eases leasing amid supply delays
• India’s air traffic set to double by 2030

India's aviation authority, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is looking to relax import regulations for older aircraft to facilitate their entry into the country.

The timing of this move comes when global supply chain disruptions have delayed delivery of new aeroplanes, which have pushed airlines to search for more short-term leasing options.

At this moments, India allows the import of pressurised aircraft to be imported, under certain conditions, up to 18 years of age. The draft Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) states that this limit would increase from 18 to 20 years, while the cap for unpressurised aircraft would be increased from 20 to 25 years.

Pressurised aircraft, like narrow-body and wide-body planes used in passenger services fly at higher altitudes above 10,000 feet. Unpressurised aircrafts, typically trainer planes, fly at less than 10,000 feet, the upper limit for such flight.

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The CAR draft stated, "In the case of unpressurised aircraft, the decision will be on a case-by-case basis and on a complete examination of the record of the aircraft being procured. Additionally, the aircraft intended to be imported shall have flown 50 hours during the last six months. However, the Director General of Civil Aviation would not allow such aircraft which are more than 25 years old".

Based on the draft CAR, the regulation indicates that pressurized aircraft for passenger and general aviation operations should not be older than 20 years or have exceeded 65% of their designed economic life measured in pressurization cycles, whichever is likely to expire first.

This developmental state allows more safety for the air transportation users and for airlines, enhances the ability to plan fleet diversification and development.

India operates in excess of 800 leased aircraft presently, and the civil aviation ministry has updated Parliament that 870 aircraft are leased, with 750 of those providing scheduled operations. With Indian carriers still holding orders greater than 1400 aircraft for delivery, leasing is a very important option to cover rising passenger demand.

As the third-largest aviation market in the world, India is expected to see passenger traffic double from current numbers to 500 million passengers by 2030, so the proposed amended rules discussed by the DGCA will provide more room for airline operators to think about responding to this rapid growth.