Probably, due to these reasons, the transfer is being delayed." He added, "It involves changes in the legal framework such as the Aircraft Act and Rules, The Indian Wireless Telegraphy (Commercial Radio Operator Certificate of Proficiency and License to Operate Wireless Telegraphy) Rules, among others. "Both the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and DGCA are aware of the issue and in June 2022, the MoCA had moved an office memorandum to shift RTR(A) exam from the WPC to DGCA," a ministry source informed. Professionals engaged in training pilots say that the practice of RTR(A) exams has been there with WPC for a very long time, but over a period of time, its standard has deteriorated and now candidates are cleared on the basis of whims and fancies of the examiners. Highlighting the practice in developed countries like the UK, veteran pilot Amit Singh, who runs an NGO - Safety Matters Foundation - said in developed countries both RTR(A) and FTRO licenses are awarded by the aviation regulators only. "These steps will end the red-tapism and agony of obtaining RTR(A) by pilots," he said. Also, efforts to put this examination system under DGCA have failed as there are vested interests of personnel from WPC," he claimed.Ĭapt Randhawa feels that there is an urgent need for getting this examination system under DGCA, revising syllabus by Flight Standards Directorate (FSD) of the DGCA, among other measures. "Representations by pilots on the issue have fallen on deaf ears. The syllabus is totally outdated and not according to the norms required for pilot testing," he said. They are also not selected as questions outside the syllabus are asked. "Moreover, students are disqualified if demands for money are not met. The experts argued that these DGCA experts, who participate in these exams, also come from technical backgrounds like air navigation services (ANS), among others.Ĭaptain Charanvir Singh Randhawa, secretary, Federation of Indian Pilots, seconds Panesar and says getting an RTR (A) license is a herculean task as the questions asked by the instructors are vague and irrelevant from a pilot's point of view. "Our experts participate in the conduct of the examination," he said. However, Arun Kumar, Director General, DGCA, told PTI that the aviation regulator is also associated with the process. They do not operate radio RT equipment fitted in an aircraft while the aircraft is flying or on the ground," the response added. "The examiners monitor various radio communications, including aeronautical communication, and have the basic qualification of diploma. The ministry, responding to Panesar's application, said that these chief examiners have the "basic qualification of graduate in Engineering, or MSc with electronics as a special subject and have wide experience of working with various communication systems spanning over more than at least 20 years". He said the ministry admitted that the examiners have no experience in handling radio equipment fitted in an aircraft while it is flying or on the ground. "These are irrelevant questions," Panesar said, adding that he filed an application under the Right to Information Act (RTI) to the Ministry of Communication to find out the background of the chief examiners. Experts further say that instead of giving emergency situations to pilots and asking them how will they communicate with ATC, officials of WPC make the candidates draw diagrams of satellites, optical fibre used in data cable, and ask the definition of 2G and 3G, among others.
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