The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has mandated “corrective training” for pilots operating IndiGo flight 6E 2142, which faced severe turbulence on May 21, 2025. The Airbus jet flew into a hailstorm en route to Srinagar and, despite landing safely, sustained damage to its nose cone.
What made DGCA take this step?
The DGCA’s action follows heightened safety concerns across the civil aviation sector after the fatal crash of Air India Flight AI 171. The London-bound flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, claiming the lives of more than 240 people.
“We have investigated the IndiGo incident thoroughly. Following our findings, we have ordered corrective training for the pilots and issued a revised operational circular to enhance flight safety in adverse weather,” a senior DGCA official stated.
The revised circular, effective immediately, calls on pilots to maintain heightened vigilance and prioritize safety over schedule adherence. Captains are encouraged to divert flights or turn back as required by prevailing weather conditions. “This highlights the growing impact of climate change on operational unpredictability,” the circular noted.
Updated DGCA guidelines emphasise caution and safety
The new guidelines advise pilots to plan deviations early and maintain at least 20 nautical miles of upwind distance from convective activity. Operators and pilots are further encouraged to adopt a conservative, safety-first decision-making process, especially during thunderstorm and hailstorm activity.
Mandatory simulator sessions based on adverse weather scenarios will enhance pilots’ capacity to make decisions under stress. Updated threat and error management (TEM) principles will also be reinforced.
The circular also underscores the importance of effective communication. Pilots must proactively brief passengers, crew, and ATC about turbulence, weather conditions, and any course deviations. Visual illusions awareness, turbulence management, and weather reporting will receive particular focus in the revised training modules.
By focusing on early decision-making and thorough training, DGCA aims to bolster flight safety standards in the face of increasingly unpredictable climate patterns.