Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh on Vistara for allowing a co-pilot to land the aircraft at Indore without the requisite training in a simulator , people aware of the matter said.
“This is a serious violation endangering lives of the passengers onboard. ₹10 lakh penalty has been levied on the airline for the said lapse,” a DGCA official said, adding that the airline violated take-off and landing clearance.
It is not clear where the aircraft took off from and when the incident took place.
A statement from Vistara spokesperson is awaited. An airline official, however, said the incident was reported to the regulator by Vistara.
A passenger aircraft’s co-pilot, also called the first officer, has to undergo simulator training for landing before they can do so with an aircraft with passengers onboard. The captain is also required to have completed training in a simulator to authorise the first officer to land the aircraft.