The Governments of India and the United States are in the process of entering into bilateral aviation safety agreement. As the aviation vendor base of both Boeing and Airbus increase in India, the eventual goal is for this agreement to lead to an agreement allowing for the mutual acceptance of aeronautical products and parts developed in either country.
A six member team of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently visited the New Delhi head-quarters and completed a technical assessment review of the aircraft certification system of India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in eleven defined areas, which, the DGCA, is reported to have passed with flying colours.
Subsequently, the FAA team carried out review of a shadow certification project where the DGCA carried out actual work as per procedures and standards of the FAA. The project was the development of a 4-seat general aviation life-raft by US aviation vendor Goodrich Corp., at Bangalore (where else, but the hub of aviation manufacturing in India).
After complete evaluation, the DGCA has already awarded an India Technical Standard Order Authorization (ITSOA) to Goodrich.
Consequent to these two actions, the FAA will send a final assessment report to the DGCA and commence the process to exchange documents for signing of an Executive Agreement. This will be the first agreement of its type for the DGCA.
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