Boy, these experts work fast! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> . .. .Another expert speaks! - courtesy of Rotorhub, again.. .. .See if you can see any familiar traits here. In my opinion one of them was discussed here on PPRuNe at great length! It might appear that the Indian authorities have perfected the art of creating a bureaucratic masterpiece, to the envy of all other authorities? . .. .New safety rules for small aircraft, helicopters soon. .. .BHAVNA VIJ. .. .NEW DELHI, MARCH 11: THE Government may finally have a clear policy on small aircraft and helicopters. Shaken by the two VIP crashes in quick succession — that of Congress leader Madhav Rao Scindia and Lok Sabha speaker G.M.C. Balayogi, the government is considering a proposal to have a separate wing in the Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ensure safety in helicopter and small aircraft operations.. .. .Questions were being raised about the safety of single-engine aircraft and helicopters, and also regarding the pressure of flying VIPs on the pilots. Civil Aviation Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain today said that the court of inquiry probing the single-engine Bell helicopter crash that killed Balayogi will come out with its report soon. He also said that all single and double engine aircraft and helicopter operators will be called by the government for their opinions and thereafter some decisions will be taken.. .. .Referring to the helicopter mishap last year that killed Madhavrao Scindia, Hussain said bad weather conditions were to blame for the accident.. .. .Incidentally, five years ago a committee headed by Air Marshal J.K. Seth, had recommended that the investigations of accidents should be segregated from the DGCA and entrusted to an independent body of expert pilots, engineers and air traffic controllers having practical experience.. .. .More recently, a committee headed by Sunil Arora, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, had suggested setting up of a separate cell for overseeing helicopter operations and maintenance. Arora Committee on Small Aircraft was set up in October last, following the crash of King Air aircraft killing Scindia.. .. .Set up in September 1996 following the Charkhi-Dadri mid-air collision, the earlier Air Marshal Seth committee had also gone into the role of DGCA closely. In the report submitted in October 1997, the committee had found DGCA to be an ‘‘archaic and inefficient entity’’ and so ‘‘entangled in bureaucratic red tape’’ that it could no longer perform its role as a technical regulatory body.. .. .‘‘The DGCA is perhaps the only organisation in the country which makes the rules, implements them and then decides the punishment for itself in case of a violation. And it’s not surprising that so many smaller aircraft and helicopters are crashing despite having a valid airworthiness certificate and the pilots possessing a proper commercial license with respectable number of flying hours to their credit,’’ said a Civil Aviation Ministry official.. .. .The DGCA, according to experts, had too much on its plate, which may be difficult for any organisation to handle. It issued guidelines on safety, operation and maintenance of aircraft under Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR). . .. .Their enforcement was also ensured by the DGCA. The Certificate of Airworthiness was both issued and renewed by it. The DGCA officials inspected the aircraft to ensure compliance with the DGCA requirements. It was the DGCA that decided on disciplinary action and also conducted inquiries into all accidents involving civil aircraft in the country.. .. .If that was not enough, DGCA is also responsible for renewing licenses of commercial pilots after testing and ensuring their mental and psychological fitness. Air Marshal Seth Committee had stressed on the role of pilots and said that focus of accident investigation should be shifted from punishment to re-training and education, except in cases of gross indiscipline or recklessness.. .. .‘‘Nowhere in the world is the same body responsible for making policies and also liable for their implementation in addition to performing regulatory functions. In the US, the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) makes policies while the Federation of Aviation Authorities (FAA) implements them. Unless the bodies act independent of each other, there is bound to be confusion,’’ the official added.. .. .Director General Civil Aviation H.S. Khosla said that all was well with the body he headed and that it’s performance was regularly audited by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). ‘‘The last audit was in 2001 and the DGCA got a good report. Basically the civil aviation policies are made by ICAO and the DGCA has to adopt them and make national regulations,’’ he informed.