The Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s e-Governance of Civil Aviation (eGCA) platform has been integrated with two external portals through an API (application programming interface) and functionality for issuing certificates to aircraft at foreign delivery locations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is a statutory body of the government to regulate civil aviation in the country.
Integration of pilot e-logbook in eGCA with operator’s internal software through API
Making entries of flying records/details in the logbooks is an important aspect of the pilot’s functioning. Timely capture of these details in the pilots’ logbooks enhances efficiency and the safety of operations. The DGCA believed the need to integrate airline software with eGCA was crucial and it engaged with all the scheduled airlines to integrate eGCA software with their internal software. Through this, pilots’ flying records can be directly transferred into their e-logbooks on the eGCA portal, which reduces the time taken to fill e-log books and eliminates manual intervention.
A private player developed an API through which various airlines can channel their pilot data from their system to the eGCA. Airlines, in turn, were to make changes in their system so that they can channel their data through this API into eGCA. Out of eight airlines that participated in the integration process, one has already implemented this interface.
Apart from fetching real-time pilots flying hours with higher accuracy rates, the move helps to facilitate the timely submission of pilots’ applications for the issuance, renewal, and endorsement of licenses. It removes multilayer data-validation steps. As the manual intervention in the process has been reduced to almost negligible, the integration will also help DGCA process applications faster as verifying flying data in submitted applications will be considerably easier.
Integration of operators’ AOC database with MoCA’s Heli-Sewa portal
The Ministry of Civil Aviation’s (MoCA) Heli-Sewa portal enables operators to file their online helicopter landing requests and intimate the district authorities in the state governments using this digital platform to undertake commitments at short notice for the corporate, charter, VIP flying, and medical sorties, among others.
To use the Heli-Sewa portal, the air operator logs in with eGCA credentials/ID linked to their Air Operator Certificate (AOC) issued by DGCA through the interface between eGCA and Heli-Sewa. The applicants/helicopter operators’ AOC details are available on the portal through the interface, thereby removing duplication of efforts. This has considerably reduced the workload on the part of applicants/helicopter operators, as they can access both the eGCA and Heli-Sewa portals through the same ID and their requests and intimations can be processed faster.
Meanwhile, the process related to the issuance of the Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) and Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) has been enhanced, wherein operators are now issued C of A/ARC at foreign delivery locations through the eGCA portal for ferrying the aircraft to India. The process replaces the current process where these certificates (partially filled) were prepared at DGCA headquarters and carried to foreign locations for issuance.
