DGCA’s eGCA aims to make services simpler and user-friendly

New Delhi: Last year, DGCA launched eGCA, a single window e-governance platform aimed to provide transparency, accountability and ease of doing business to its various stakeholders. eGCA brought into its fold all the approvals, certificates and licenses issued by DGCA, which have now become accessible to DGCAs stakeholders online, for submission of applications and related documents and get approvals/certificates/licenses to their respective portals. Since then, DGCA has been continuously engaging with its stakeholders and has strived to make these services simpler and user-friendly.

As a part of continuous enhancement eGCA has been integrated with two external portals through API (Application Programming Interface) and a functionality for issuing certificates to aircraft at foreign delivery locations. The details are enumerated below:

A. Integration of pilot e-logbook in eGCA with operator’s internal software through API

Making entries of flying records/details in the log books is a very important aspect of the Pilots functioning. Timely capture of these details in the pilots log books enhances their efficiency and safety of operations by providing them more time for their skill enhancement. The need for integrating airlines software with eGCA was felt immediately after the launch of the project. DGCA engaged with all the scheduled airlines to integrate eGCA software with their internal software, whereby pilots’ flying records can be directly transferred into their e-logbooks on eGCA portal, which will not only minimize the time taken for filling of e-log books, but also eliminate manual intervention.

TCS developed an API through which various airlines would 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 which participated in the integration process, Indigo Airline has already implemented this interface. Indigo pilots’ flying records are now getting directly populated in elogbook in eGCA software from Indigo’s AIMS software. Other airlines viz. Air India/Air India Charters, Air Asia, Go Air, Spicejet, Vistara and Blue Dart are in the final stages of testing and are also expected to implement the same in another one-two months.

Apart from fetching real time pilots flying hours with accuracy, this will help in timely submission of applications by the pilots for the issuance, renewal & endorsement of licenses by removal of multilayer data-validation steps. As the manual intervention in the process has been reduced to almost negligible, the integration will also help DGCA in faster processing of applications as the verification of flying data in submitted applications will be considerably reduced.

B. Integration of operator’s AOC data base with MOCA’s Heli-Sewa portal

Through API Heli-Sewa portal of Ministry of Civil Aviation, facilitates 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, Medical sorties, etc.

In order to use Heli-Sewa Portal, Air Operator logs in with eGCA credentials/ID linked to their AOC issued by DGCA through the interface between eGCA and Heli-Sewa. The applicants/ helicopter operators AOC details are available in Heli-Sewa 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 eGCA and Heli-Sewa portal through same ID and their requests and intimations can be processed faster.

C. Issuance of C of A / ARC in respect of newly inducted aircraft by airlines/operators

Process related to issuance of Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) & 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 erstwhile process wherein these certificates (partially-filled) were prepared at DGCA Headquarters and carried to foreign locations for issuance.

DGCA is continuously striving to make its processes simpler and user-friendly by seeking inputs/suggestions from its stakeholders and bringing in enhancements to the eGCA system.