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faiz ahmed kidwai

New Delhi, India: The Government of India has appointed senior IAS officer Vir Vikram Yadav as the new Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), replacing Faiz Ahmed Kidwai in a significant bureaucratic reshuffle affecting multiple senior administrative positions across ministries. According to an official order cited by PTI and reported across multiple outlets, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the transfer as part of a broader restructuring of top government posts. Yadav, a 1996-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, was serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change before his appointment to the aviation regulator. He will now head the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, India’s apex civil aviation safety and regulatory authority. Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, who assumed charge as DGCA chief in January 2025, has been transferred to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) as Additional Secretary. The reshuffle comes amid heightened attention on India’s civil aviation sector, which has faced operational disruptions, safety scrutiny, and regulatory challenges over the past year. Recent reports indicate that the DGCA has been engaged in oversight of airline safety compliance, pilot duty-time regulations, and operational disruptions involving major carriers like IndiGo. The regulator has also been under pressure following incidents that triggered large-scale cancellations and intensified scrutiny of airline preparedness and safety systems. Both IndiGo and Air India, which together dominate India’s domestic aviation market, have been at the centre of regulatory attention over the past year due to operational and safety-related issues. Last Year In December, IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, faced heightened regulatory scrutiny after operational disruptions led to widespread flight delays and cancellations. Airline reports indicated that the disruption resulted in hundreds of cancellations over a short period, affecting passenger movement during peak travel schedules and triggering passenger inconvenience across key airports including Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. While the government has not officially linked the leadership change to sector developments, reports indicate that the reshuffle is part of a wider administrative exercise involving 12 secretary-level and 27 additional secretary-level postings across ministries. The DGCA, functioning under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is responsible for regulating air safety, licensing, airworthiness standards, and enforcement of civil aviation regulations in India.

DGCA Appoints Vir Vikram Yadav As The New Director General Replacing Faiz Ahmed Kidwai

Aviation Today News Desk / April 1, 2026

New Delhi, India: The Government of India has appointed senior IAS officer Vir Vikram Yadav as the new Director General

New Delhi, India: India’s pilot community is pushing back against airline industry efforts to adopt the ‘Multi‑Crew Pilot Licence’ (MPL) as the primary training pathway for commercial airline pilots. The development follows the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) move to initiate a fresh review of MPL adoption. According to the Times of India, the DGCA is considering whether to move to a unified "multi‑crew pilot licence" system that combines both CPL and type rating training into a single framework. A stakeholder meeting will be held shortly to discuss the coexistence of both systems, allowing operators the choice to adopt CMP, MPL, or continue with CPL based on safety and operational needs. Earlier, in a conversation with The New Indian Express, DGCA Director General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai confirmed the rollout of the MPL programme, highlighting its alignment with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) norms. He said the MPL, unlike the traditional Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) based on single‑pilot operations, focuses on multi‑crew competency development from the outset, integrating theoretical instruction and simulator training to better prepare pilots for commercial aviation. A high‑level committee has also been formed to examine the MPL model’s viability for India’s training ecosystem and regulatory framework. Unlike the CPL, which mandates a minimum of 200 hours of solo flying, MPL replaces much of that experience with advanced simulator sessions and multi‑crew training modules. Airlines view this as a modern, cost‑effective pathway, while pilots argue India lacks adequate simulator infrastructure and regulatory oversight to safely implement such a change. This is the DGCA’s third attempt to evaluate MPL, following two earlier rejections. Officials say a rapidly expanding aviation sector and a forecast demand of nearly 2,000 new pilots annually by 2030 have renewed interest in alternative training models. Countries like the UK, Australia and Singapore already use MPL, while the US, Canada and many others continue with conventional CPL training. Airline representatives argue that MPL better matches today’s cockpit environment, where teamwork and decision‑making skills are as critical as technical flying hours. “Unlike the CPL pathway, which focuses heavily on small aircraft flying hours, the MPL integrates airline‑specific operations and procedures early in training, replacing most solo flying with advanced simulator and multi‑crew training,” one airline executive told Businessline. However, senior captains and pilot unions warn that adopting MPL without robust safeguards could risk putting under‑prepared co‑pilots into airline cockpits. “The MPL will offer little tangible benefit to India,” said a senior pilot, adding that there is “no real cost saving, and not enough certified simulators to deliver effective MPL training.” Another captain noted, “MPL might work in countries with advanced training ecosystems, but India is still building that capacity.” The DGCA has asked its committee to benchmark global best practices, review regulatory gaps, and consult with airlines, training organisations and pilot associations. Its recommendations are expected within three months. “If MPL is approved, many existing Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) could be forced to shut down,” warned another senior pilot, noting that both IFALPA and ALPA have long opposed MPL due to reduced manual flying skills and heavy reliance on aircraft automation.

Pilots Push Back Strongly as DGCA Considers Review of MPL Training Amid Safety Concerns

Aviation Today News Desk / August 6, 2025

New Delhi, India: India’s pilot community is pushing back against airline industry efforts to adopt the ‘Multi‑Crew Pilot Licence’ (MPL)

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