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<keyword id="155869" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aviation-watchdog" source="Orion">Aviation watchdog</keyword> <keyword id="19899185" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dgca" source="keywords">DGCA</keyword> on Friday imposed a fine of Rs 80 lakh on <keyword id="19896871" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="air-india" source="keywords">Air India</keyword> for violations of norms related to <keyword id="8400738" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="flight-duty-time-limitations" source="Orion">flight duty time limitations</keyword> and <keyword id="21053584" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fatigue-management-system" source="Orion">fatigue management system</keyword> of flight crew. The decision came after the <keyword id="6354705" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Directorate-General-of-Civil-Aviation" source="Orion">Directorate General of Civil Aviation</keyword> (DGCA) conducted a spot audit of Air India in January, during which evidence was collected and fleet-wise random reports were analysed. "The analysis of reports and evidence revealed that <keyword id="20879472" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-india-limited" source="keywords">Air India Limited</keyword> operated flight(s) with both flight crew aged above 60 years flying together in a few instances. "... the operator was also found deficient in providing adequate weekly rest, adequate rest before &amp; after ultra-long range flights and adequate rest on layover to the flight crew, which violates the extant provisions of the <keyword id="20777683" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="civil-aviation-requirements" source="keywords">Civil Aviation Requirements</keyword> pertaining to FDTL," the regulator said in a release. Further, the DGCA said there were instances of exceeding duty periods, wrongly marked training records and overlapping duties. On March 1, the regulator issued a show cause notice to Air India with respect to the violations. "The operator submitted its response to the show cause notice, which was not found satisfactory. Pursuant to the non-satisfactory response submitted by the operator, a fine of Rs 80,00,000 has been imposed on the operator," the release said.

Aviation regulator DGCA slaps Rs 80 lakh fine on Air India

<ul class="summary-list"><li>F-35 stealth fighter jets have been failing to meet mission-capable rates, a watchdog reports.</li><li>This has been the case for six years despite over $12 billion on operations and maintenance, the GAO found.</li></ul>The US military's F-35 stealth fighters have failed to meet readiness goals for six years straight, despite the over $12 billion spent on operations and maintenance, according to a government watchdog report.The new report published Monday comes as the US military continues its efforts to make the advanced fifth-generation fighter jet manufactured by Lockheed Martin a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/11/quarterback-in-the-sky-the-f-35-is-far-more-than-just-a-fighter-jet/">quarterback</a> for American combat power.For its report on US tactical aviation readiness, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-25-107870.pdf">Government Accountability Office,</a> an independent congressional watchdog agency, analyzed how well US aircraft met their desired mission-capable rates in fiscal years 2018 through 2023.An aircraft's mission-capable rate is the percentage of total time when the plane can fly and perform at least one mission. Per the GAO, the mission-capable rates measure the health and readiness of a military aircraft fleet for a potential conflict.The GAO said the F-35A, the fighter variant used by the US Air Force, "did not meet its mission capable goals in any of the years we reviewed." The GAO also found the F-35B and F-35C variants, used by the Marine Corps and Navy, failed to meet their goals over all six years as well.That's despite over $12 billion spent on operations and maintenance and efforts to improve the overall readiness of the F-35. Other aircraft that failed to meeting their goals all six years included the F-22 Raptor, EA-18G Growler, F/A-18 A-D Hornets, AV-8B Harrier, and F-15E Strike Eagle. The F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets, F-16D, F-15D and A-10 Warthog only met their goals one year, while the F-16C and F-15C hit it three years out of six.<div type="image" title="An F-35 during take-off." height="2400" width="3600" msid="114477281" hostid="261" sizebytes="162330"></div>The GAO said that "none of the 15 tactical aircraft variants met their mission capable goals in fiscal year 2023."The watchdog report said that for the F-35, $7.46 billion for the Air Force, $2.75 billion for the Marine Corps, and $1.87 billion for the Navy was spent on operations and maintenance, with yearly spending in this area growing substantially between 2018 and 2023 and services in some cases using more money than was initially requested.In response to the GAO report, Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, director and program executive officer of the F-35 Joint Program Office, told Business Insider that "the F-35 is proven in combat and performing for 14 military services around the world today.""As the cornerstone of the future fighter fleet," he said, "the F-35 enables the warfighter to dominate the skies in the most challenging combat environments against the world's most capable adversaries."Schmidt said that his office is working with the Pentagon and industry partners to improve the mission-capable rates, noting that when spare parts and repair materials are available, rates tend to be higher."With this in mind, I am not satisfied with our readiness today — and our team is doing everything in its power to drive availability to levels our users expect," he said.<div type="image" title="An F-35 fighter jet flies above a white, cloudy background. In the foreground, a ship's refueling section frames the photo." height="3648" width="5472" msid="114477284" hostid="261" sizebytes="739534"></div>The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-f-35-landed-japans-new-aircraft-carrier-first-time-2024-10">F-35</a> was built as a low-observable joint strike fighter able to engage in ground-attack, maritime-strike, and air-combat missions and also coordinate American firepower as a high-end networked sensor. Coming in three variants, there is the F-35A with a cannon, the short takeoff/vertical landing F-35B, and carrier-based F-35C. A number of US allies and partners operate variants of the jet.But the jet has been mired with ballooning costs and readiness problems for years, with a GAO report earlier this year revealing that the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-f-35-stealth-fighters-to-fly-less-costs-soar-2024-4">availability of the aircraft has dropped</a> as the full life-cycle of the F-35 has grown, topping $2 trillion.

The US F-35 stealth fighter fleet has a readiness problem that 6 years and over $12 billion haven't fixed, watchdog finds

New Delhi, Aviation watchdog <keyword id="19899185" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dgca" source="keywords">DGCA</keyword> has deferred the implementation of the revised flight duty norms for pilots that were to be effective from June 1, according to two civil aviation ministry officials. One of the officials on Tuesday said the revised norms have been deferred for some time to have wider consultations. The new norms provide for more rest time for pilots and seek to alleviate pilot fatigue. The latest decision comes less than two weeks after the <keyword id="19926254" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="directorate-general-of-civil-aviation" source="keywords">Directorate General of Civil Aviation</keyword> (DGCA) told airlines that the deadline for implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms will not be deferred. Another official said implementation of the revised FDTL norms has been deferred for some time to enable thorough consideration of all elements. The <keyword id="20738678" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="federation-of-indian-airlines" source="keywords">Federation of Indian Airlines</keyword> (FIA), comprising <keyword id="19896871" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-india" source="keywords">Air India</keyword>, <keyword id="19987725" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spicejet" source="keywords">SpiceJet</keyword> and <keyword id="19899182" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indigo" source="keywords">IndiGo</keyword>, had written at least twice to the regulator seeking more time for implementation of the revised FDTL norms that were issued on January 8. In a communication to the FIA earlier this month, the regulator said the airlines have to take all necessary steps to roll out the revised FDTL CAR (<keyword id="20777683" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="civil-aviation-requirements" source="keywords">Civil Aviation Requirements</keyword>) with effect from June 1, 2024. The revised norms provide for increased weekly rest time to 48 hours for pilots and limit the number of landings to two during night operations. Besides, the night hours for pilots will be extended to cover the period from midnight to 6 am whereas it was midnight to 5 am earlier. Also, all airlines have to compulsorily submit quarterly fatigue reports, which "should follow a non-punitive and confidentiality policy".

DGCA defers implementation of revised flight duty norms for pilots

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new government watchdog report reveals that the F-35 program is plagued by maintenance issues.</li><li>Because of these problems, the stealth fighters can only fly a mission just over half the time.</li></ul>The US military's F-35 fighters are only capable of flying missions just over half the time due to serious maintenance issues, according to a watchdog review of the Pentagon's long-term procurement plans for the stealth aircraft. The new findings, included in a lengthy report <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105341">published</a> on Thursday by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), come just days after a F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter crashed over South Carolina during a training mishap, leading the US Marines Corps to issue a two-day pause to all flights over ongoing safety concerns. The F-35, a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marine-corps-version-f35-has-unique-feature-south-carolina-crash-2023-9">highly advanced fifth-generation aircraft</a>, represents a "growing portion" of the Pentagon's tactical aviation fleet, the GAO report said, but it determined in the report, which was delivered to lawmakers, that the expensive F-35 program is plagued by maintenance issues and the jet's future sustainment strategy must be evaluated."Maintenance challenges negatively affect F-35 aircraft readiness," the GAO report said. "The F-35 fleet mission capable rate — the percentage of time the aircraft can perform one of its tasked missions — was about 55 percent in March 2023, far below program goals." Mission capable rates are for aircraft possessed by a squadron.<div type="image" title="An F-35 taxis from the runway onto the flightline after successfully completing a sortie, Dec. 14, 2015, at Luke Air Force Base." height="2496" width="4720" msid="103846719" hostid="261" sizebytes="178780"></div>"The program was behind schedule in establishing depot maintenance activities to conduct repairs," the GAO found, and "as a result, component repair times remained slow with over 10,000 waiting to be repaired — above desired levels. At the same time, organizational-level maintenance has been affected by a number of issues, including a lack of technical data and training."There are several specific issues that the GAO cited in its report, among them being that the US government relies heavily on contractors — thus limiting its decision-making abilities — and there being inadequate maintenance-related training. Additionally, there is a lack of spare parts, support equipment, and technical data, all of which can cause maintenance delays at military installations.There have also been delays in setting up service facilities, where complex repairs are handled, the GAO said. In a bid to remedy the situation, the GAO said it has made several recommendations to the Pentagon, "including reassessing F-35 sustainment elements to determine government and contractor responsibility and any required technical data, and making final decisions on changes to F-35 sustainment to address performance and affordability." It noted that the Pentagon has agreed with the GAO's recommendations.The US military currently fields around 450 F-35s, and the Pentagon plans to procure around 2,500 more as part of a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marine-corps-ground-flights-string-mishaps-f-35-disappearance-2023-9">decades-long program</a> with an estimated life cycle cost of over $1.7 trillion. The GAO said most of this funding will go to operating, maintaining, and repairing the fighter jets.<div type="image" title="A US Air Force F-35 Lightning II flies over the US Central Command area of responsibility, July 17, 2020." height="2779" width="4940" msid="103846720" hostid="261" sizebytes="147284"></div>There are three variants of the Lockheed Martin F-35. The F-35A is used by the Air Force and brings in capabilities beyond what aging F-16s and A-10s can provide while the F-35C represents an improvement over other Navy carrier-based fighters like the F/A-18. And the F-35B is a short-takeoff/vertical landing variant able to be used by the Marine Corps aboard amphibious assault ships and smaller airfields.The B variant, which costs around $100 million, made headlines earlier this week when a Marine Corps pilot was forced to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/f35-jet-lost-usmc-marine-pilot-south-carolina-training-mishap-2023-9">eject from the fighter</a> due to a malfunction that occurred during a Sunday training mission over South Carolina.While the unidentified pilot managed to safely eject, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/f-35-pilot-parachuted-into-south-carolina-backyard-2023-9">parachuting</a> into a residential backyard, it was not immediately clear what happened to the jet — prompting the military to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-asks-help-from-public-finding-missing-f-35-2023-9">ask for the public's help</a> in finding it. Officials said the next day that they had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/missing-f35-jet-found-debris-crash-pilot-ejected-training-mishap-2023-9">located a field of debris</a> belonging to the aircraft. Shortly after the incident was made public, the Marine Corps <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marine-corps-ground-flights-string-mishaps-f-35-disappearance-2023-9">announced a two-day pause</a> to all flights, citing what it said was a string of "aviation mishaps" in recent weeks, which, in addition to the the F-35 crash, included two separate crashes involving a F/A-18 fighter jet and a MV-22B Osprey — leaving four Marines dead and over 20 more injured.

F-35 stealth fighter jets are only capable of flying missions a little over half the time, watchdog finds

Crisis-hit airline <keyword id="11252024" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="go-first" source="Orion">Go First</keyword> has suspended sale of tickets till May 15 and is working to refund or reschedule existing bookings for future dates, aviation regulator <keyword id="6354787" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dgca" source="Orion">DGCA</keyword> said on Thursday. The <keyword id="6354705" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="directorate-general-of-civil-aviation" source="Orion">Directorate General of Civil Aviation</keyword> (DGCA) had issued a show cause notice to the airline after it suddenly decided to cancel flights for three days starting May 3. "<keyword id="6354976" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="go" source="Orion">Go</keyword> First has intimated that they have suspended sale of their flights till 15 May 2023 and are working to refund or reschedule for future dates, the passengers already booked to fly with them," the regulator said in a statement. After examining the reply filed by Go First, the watchdog has issued an order "under the prevailing regulations directing them to process the refunds to passengers as per the timelines specifically stipulated in the relevant regulation". The regulator also said it is committed to minimising passenger inconvenience in view of the abrupt decision by Go First to suspend their scheduled operations without any prior intimation. Separately, Go First said it has cancelled flights till May 9 due to operational reasons. "We regret to inform that due to operational reasons, Go First flights scheduled till 9th May 2023 have been cancelled... A full refund will be issued to the original mode of payment shortly," the airline said in an update on its website. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/amazon-great-summer-sale-2023-best-deals-on-tws-and-neckband-earphones/articleshow/99981436.cms">Amazon Great Summer Sale 2023: Best deals on TWS and neckband earphones</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/in-monobalas-passing-tamil-cinema-loses-an-enthusiast-of-cinema/slidelist/99981554.cms">South Indian film industry mourns Manobala</a>

Go First suspends sale of tickets till May 15; DGCA asks airline to process refunds for passengers

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Several Nigerian airlines want to ground domestic flights from Monday due to high <keyword id="12219380" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jet-fuel" source="Orion">jet fuel</keyword> costs.</li><li>On Friday, the <keyword id="11894930" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="airline" source="Orion">Airline</keyword> Operators of <keyword id="12217306" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nigeria" source="Orion">Nigeria</keyword> issued a statement, which was seen by BBC <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">News</keyword>.</li></ul> Nigeria's biggest airlines are threatening to stop domestic flights from Monday as a result of the rise in jet fuel prices, according to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON). In a statement issued on Friday, the AON, which represents nine of the country's domestic carriers, said that the cost of imported jet fuel had increased nearly fourfold as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The statement was <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-61361686">seen by BBC News</a> and Reuters, and widely circulated on social media.As a result, airline operating costs had risen from about 40% to nearly 95%, and operators had already subsidized their services to passengers over the past four months, the AON said. "No airline in the world can absorb this kind of sudden shock from such an astronomical rise over a short period," the AON's president, Dr. Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, said in its statement. Russia's invasion of Ukraine created a disruption in the global distribution of crude oil. This, combined with high demand for travel, has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-airfare-is-so-high-fuel-prices-demand-2022-4?r=US&amp;IR=T">caused the cost of airline tickets to soar</a>.AON said that its airline members had previously engaged with the Nigerian government, its state-owned oil company, and fuel marketers in an effort to bring down the cost of jet fuel. It said the cost can not be passed on to passengers as it was "unsustainable" for airlines who can "no longer absorb the pressure," per the statement.One signatory to the statement, Azman Air, <a href="https://twitter.com/AzmanAir/status/1523027422140329984?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">confirmed</a> on Twitter that it plans to suspend domestic flights from Monday until further notice. Similarly, United Nigeria Airlines appeared to make a statement by posting a screenshot of the news to its <a href="https://twitter.com/flyunitedng/status/1522694760250900481?s=20&amp;t=fJzD-YngQw_2sgUGSYqd5A">own</a> Twitter account. However, at least one airline is not on board with this plan. Ibom Air, which flies to seven cities in Nigeria, is listed as a signatory on the statement. But it said on Saturday it will not halt its domestic flights from Monday as such a move would affect revenues and impact its commitments to suppliers and financiers, per a Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/nigerias-ibom-air-rejects-industry-plan-stop-flights-over-jet-fuel-cost-2022-05-07/">report</a>.Nigeria's competition watchdog – the Federal Competition &amp; Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) – urged the AON to reconsider its plans, saying in a <a href="https://twitter.com/fccpcnigeria/status/1522928666124210182/photo/1">statement</a> posted on Saturday on its Twitter account that they could create a "magnitude of difficulties" for passengers. It also appeared to warn airlines not to sell tickets for flights it does not plan to go ahead with. "The Commission is concerned with rising consumer feedback that airlines have continued to sell tickets beyond the date announced for proposed service shutdown," FCCPC chief executive said in the statement. "It will be egregious exploitation of consumers and a violation of law to purport to sell a service that the service provider knows it will not, or does not intend to provide or deliver," it added.The AON and FCCPC did not immediately respond to Insider's request for further comment.

Nigerian airlines are threatening to ground domestic flights amid soaring jet fuel prices

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Airlines have been told to inspect 2 pressure switches on <keyword id="6357957" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="boeing">Boeing</keyword> 737s over concerns they could fail.</li><li>Their failure could mean that cabin oxygen levels fall dangerously low, the <keyword id="137685" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="FAA">FAA</keyword> said.</li><li>An unnamed operator reported that the switches failed in tests on three different 737 models.</li></ul>The US aviation watchdog has instructed airlines to inspect a pair of pressure switches found on all <keyword id="441908" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="boeing-737">Boeing 737</keyword> airplanes over concerns that their failure could cause onboard oxygen levels to fall dangerously low.The <keyword id="50977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Federal-Aviation-Administration">Federal Aviation Administration</keyword> (FAA) on Thursday warned of a risk that pilots and other crew members could lose consciousness if the cabin altitude switches failed. It issued a <a href="https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2021-15391.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1qY1dd-cCBojE8-yZ9YRzjTggnZzRVJqxfLkCg4kR9f93M0rV6gr_Fovk">directive</a> ordering that airlines check them for faults.The directive applies to around 2,500 Boeing 737 <keyword id="6367788" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="planes">planes</keyword> in the US and a further 9,315 worldwide, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/faa-orders-checks-9300-boeing-737-planes-possible-switch-failures-2021-07-15/">Reuters reported</a>. It includes the 737 Max."A latent failure of both pressure switches could result in the loss of cabin altitude warning, which could delay flight crew recognition of a lack of cabin pressurization, and result in incapacitation of the flight crew due to hypoxia (a lack of oxygen in the body), and consequent loss of control of the airplane," the agency said.It added: "Addressing these failures requires immediate action."The FAA didn't say there had been any in-flight failures of the switches. However, it said that in September, an unnamed airplane operator reported that both switches had failed on three different 737 models it tested.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-prime-air-drone-delivery-team-facing-high-turnover-documents-2021-7">Amazon's Prime Air drone delivery team has had higher turnover than the rest of the company as launch delays and internal tensions roil the division</a>The FAA requires every airplane with a pressurized cabin to include a system that warns the flight crew of cabin depressurization. Each Boeing plane has two pressure switches on board as a safeguard in case one fails, following a 2012 FAA mandate.The FAA said in the order Thursday that if both switches failed, the warning system would not activate if the cabin altitude exceeded 10,000 feet - at which point oxygen levels on board could become dangerously low and cause flight crews to lose consciousness, it said.Boeing had said earlier that the reported issues with the switches didn't pose a safety concern. After further investigation and analysis, however, the airplane manufacturer and the FAA concluded in May that "the failure rate of both switches is much higher than initially estimated, and therefore does pose a safety issue."Under the FAA's order on Thursday, operators have to inspect the switches every 2,000 flight hours, compared with the current 6,000 hours.The FAA said it doesn't have enough information yet to explain why the failure rate of the switches is "unexpectedly high" and recommended that airlines return any failed switches so that the switch manufacturer, which it didn't name, could investigate the issue.The order makes mandatory a recommendation that Boeing issued to customers last month."Safety is our highest priority, and we fully support the FAA's direction," the airline told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/15/business/boeing-737-inspection.html">The New York Times</a>.

The FAA has ordered safety checks on all 9,300 Boeing 737 aircraft for a failure that could cause cabin oxygen levels to drop dangerously low

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Since the January 6 Capitol Hill riots, there has been much talk about adding rioters to the federal <keyword id="95834" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="NO-FLY-LIST">no-fly list</keyword>.</li><li>In a January 12 press conference, the FBI said it was considering the move.</li><li>There's a difference between the federal no-fly lists and airlines' own, internal no-fly lists.</li><li>Little is known about the highly secretive federal list, which has been criticized on the basis of impinging on civil liberties, as well as for its potential for profiling and discrimination.</li></ul>Shortly after pro-Trump rioters stormed the US Capitol, <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2021/01/trump-supporter-cries-at-airport-after-learning-he-is-on-no-fly-list.html">videos of passengers being arrested or deplaned went viral</a> on social media, with some people claiming they show Capitol rioters being prevented from flying because they've been put on the no-fly list.<a href="https://www.insider.com/capitol-riot-video-protest-no-fly-list-viral-tiktok-2021-1">While many of those claims have turned out to be false</a>, the idea that Capitol Hill rioters should be added to the no-fly list appears to resonate with a lot of people.This comes after politicians ranging from <a href="https://www.axios.com/schumer-capitol-seige-fbi-terrorist-watchlist-c9b83366-6218-46e8-ae06-4545ee2ec001.html">Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer</a> to Bennie G. Thompson, the chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, <a href="https://homeland.house.gov/news/press-releases/chairman-thompson-tsa-and-fbi-must-add-suspected-domestic-terrorists-to-no-fly-list-and-keep-them-off-planes">called for all rioters involved to be added to the no-fly list</a>, and amid <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-airlines-are-responding-to-the-us-capitol-building-riots-2021-1">airlines attempting to step up their security measures post-siege</a>. Read also: <a href="https://www.insider.com/capitol-riot-video-protest-no-fly-list-viral-tiktok-2021-1">Don't trust those viral videos that claim to prove Capitol rioters are being added to 'no-fly lists'</a>While it sounds easy enough to add identified individuals who participated in a domestic terrorist attack on the federal no-fly list, it actually isn't.<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2021/01/09/why-capitol-rioters-are-unlikely-to-land-on-the-no-fly-list/?sh=6e40a3a432d7">Forbes reports</a> that if it were to happen, it probably wouldn't be until Joe Biden takes office, as he has previously said he would pass a law against domestic <keyword id="6358165" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="terrorism">terrorism</keyword>. This would be necessary for putting the rioters on the no-fly list as domestic terrorists. Currently, as Forbes reports, the definition of domestic terrorism provided by <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archive/ll/subs/add_myths.htm#s802">section 802 of the PATRIOT Act</a> does not make it a chargeable criminal offense: none of the rioters were charged with offenses labeling them terrorists.However, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/12/politics/fbi-no-fly-list-capitol-riot/index.html">according to CNN</a>, the FBI is now considering adding rioters to the no-fly list.Little is known about the no-fly list, though, and the notoriously secretive list has been criticized on all sides for being unconstitutional and in need of a major overhaul.Read also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-airlines-are-responding-to-the-us-capitol-building-riots-2021-1">How airlines are responding to Wednesday's siege at the US Capitol as they're faced with the prospect of flying rioters home</a><h2>What is the no-fly list?</h2><div type="image" title="Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters during a news conference, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, in New York. Schumer demanded individuals who stormed the U.S. Capitol last week be placed on a no-fly list by federal law enforcement. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)" height="3060" width="4080" msid="80260603" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.tsa.gov/travel/passenger-support/travel-redress-program">According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA),</a> which has authority over US <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> security, the no-fly list "is a small subset of the US government Terrorist Screening Database (also known as the terrorist watchlist) that contains the identity information of known or suspected terrorists."The list, along with the <keyword id="62795" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="TSA">TSA</keyword> as a whole, was launched in response to the 9/11 attacks in 2001.The list is maintained by the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center, but used by the TSA as part of its <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening">Secure Flight program</a>, which allows the TSA to prevent those it deems high-risk from getting past security.Representatives for the TSA declined to provide further information about the no-fly list but <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/statements/2021/01/11/statement-regarding-airport-security-following-events-us-capitol">said in a statement</a> that they're on high alert following the events of January 6, and that "TSA prepares for all contingencies, and employs multiple layers of security that are both seen and unseen."The statement also clarifies that their no-fly list screening is just one of many security measures and that it takes place prior to passengers arriving at security checkpoints.<h2>The federal no-fly list is notoriously secretive - and different from airlines' individual no-fly lists</h2><div type="image" title="Checking boarding passes before the flight." height="1512" width="2016" msid="80260604" hostid="261"></div>The government doesn't disclose how many people are on the no-fly list, though <a href="https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F02871C5-A023-4DEF-AEC3-EDAF34BEA2BF">a June 2016 statement</a> by Democratic California Senator Dianne Feinstein said that there were around 81,000 people on the no-fly list at the time, with fewer than 1,000 of those people being US citizens.Most US-based airlines have their own, separate list of banned passengers, in addition to the federal no-fly list.Airlines' individual lists basically consist of passengers that have failed to comply with airline policies in some way, from refusing to wear masks to assaulting crew members. The policies that can get passengers on airline-specific lists are usually outlined in airlines' individual contract of carriage rules.For example, a spokesperson for United told Insider that they've banned 615 people from the airline since implementing their mandatory mask policy in early May.Read also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/major-us-airlines-no-mask-no-fly-2020-8">Major US airlines have created a 'no fly list' for travelers who refuse to wear face coverings during the pandemic</a>Representatives for Delta, United, and American Airlines did not wish to share further details or specifics about their internal no-fly lists.According to a spokesperson for American, "At American, safety is our highest priority. We will continue monitoring closely and working with local law enforcement and airport authority partners to ensure the safety of our customers and team members on the ground and in the air."For Capitol rioters to end up on airlines' individual no-fly lists, they would have to fail to comply with airline-specific regulations.<h2>It's not just suspected national security threats who wind up on the federal no-fly list</h2><div type="image" title="tsa" height="1362" width="1816" msid="80260605" hostid="261"></div>Very little is known about who goes on the list and why, as the government doesn't disclose this information. However, <a href="https://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5030&amp;context=ylj=ylj">the Yale Law Journal writes</a> that "public record suggests that it's based on tips collected by confidential sources."<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/terrorist-screening-center-frequently-asked-questions.pdf/view">According to the FBI</a>, those on the list "may present a threat to civil aviation or national security." The FBI further states that to get on the list there must be "credible information demonstrating that the individual presents a threat of committing an act of terrorism with respect to an aircraft, the homeland, US facilities or interests abroad, or is a threat of engaging in or conducting a violent act of terrorism and is operationally capable of doing so."<a href="https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/how-does-the-u-s-no-fly-list-work-31742">HG.org</a>, a website for legal resources pertaining to law and government, says that the list is not just used against domestic terrorism, but also to stop registered sex offenders or those suspected of trafficking illegal drugs from boarding flights.<a href="https://www.cato.org/people/patrick-g-eddington">Patrick G. Eddington</a>, a research fellow in homeland security and civil liberties at the Cato Institute think tank, told Insider that, according to his sources at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), "the criteria is fairly expansive."He said that the only reason the public knows anything at all is because of leaks that have been made to various press organizations over the last several years.Citing <a href="https://theintercept.com/2014/07/23/blacklisted/">a 2013 leak of watchlist guidance</a>, he said getting someone added to the list "doesn't require that you have any kind of concrete facts or irrefutable evidence.""So because the bar is so relatively low to be put on these lists to begin with, anytime you get people like Chuck Schumer and Bennie Thompson making noise about putting literally what could be hundreds or thousands of people on a list, that raises all kinds of alarm bells" he said, calling it "a completely due process-free approach to things."Things may change soon, though, making getting added to the list more difficult.A bill titled "<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/4431">No Fly for Terrorists Act</a>," was introduced to Congress in 2019, which would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from stopping US citizens or permanent residents from traveling "unless they have been convicted of a federal crime of terrorism."<h2>The federal no-fly list has been heavily criticized in the past</h2><div type="image" title="GettyImages 1286778664" height="1666" width="2223" msid="80260606" hostid="261"></div>The no-fly list has been criticized on the basis of impinging on civil liberties, as well as for its potential for ethnic, religious, economic, political, and racial profiling and discrimination."The No Fly List has been used since its inception to unjustly target Black and Brown people, particularly Muslims, and is a due process nightmare," Manar Waheed, a senior legislative and advocacy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), told Insider.Of the many calls to add Capitol rioters to the list, he said "Doubling down on it now will simply further entrench an error-prone and unconstitutional system that will continue to be used unfairly against people of color."There are currently a number of lawsuits against the government by individuals on the list who claim no affiliation to any terrorist groups, many of which are represented by the ACLU, according to law website <a href="http://hg.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HG.org</a>. However, since the US government can withhold classified information on the grounds of protecting national security, <a href="http://hg.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HG.org</a> says that prosecuting these claims is difficult.There have been some wins for plaintiffs. In 2015 for example, the 9th Circuit ruled that the TSA had to start disclosing whether people were on the list, and summarize why - previously they had to share absolutely no information regarding the no-fly list. However, they must do this without revealing classified information, which the ACLU argues keeps their reasonings too vague.In 2019 however, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the government was not required to give full detailed explanations due to national security concerns, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/b954e754b77c44d8853f3160caac7238" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to the AP.</a>Another issue with the no-fly list is that it's allegedly prone to "false positives," which is when innocent people are added to the list because, for example, their names are similar to those of suspected terrorists. In 2008, it was reported that "one major US airline records 9,000 false-positives a day," <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25612748">according to an NBC article</a> sourcing then-Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Public figures such as the late Senator Ted Kennedy and former Georgia Representative John Lewis have found themselves on the no-fly list, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2015/12/07/politics/no-fly-mistakes-cat-stevens-ted-kennedy-john-lewis/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to CNN</a>, as well as Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens.<h2>Putting everyone who was on Capitol Hill during the riots on the no-fly list could be a slippery slope</h2><div type="image" title="capitol police" height="1425" width="1900" msid="80260608" hostid="261"></div>Eddington described the calls for adding rioters to the no-fly list "security theater," a term he borrowed from privacy and security expert Bruce Schneier, saying that the FBI acknowledged having over a hundred thousand digital images to sort through and that not everyone on Capitol grounds on January 6 committed a crime.Those who did commit crimes, were identified, and have arrest warrants issued he said are "automatically going to be on the no-fly list," though he worries that this will just spur people to drive next time."Think about what that means for somebody who went to the Capitol, didn't actually engage in the breach, has their photograph swept up in all of this, and then because of this political pressure winds up getting put on the list," he said. "Their ability to get off that list is going to be really difficult because there is no judicial review stuff." Eddington believes that Americans ought to have a legally protected right to sue the TSA, DHS, or FBI should they find themselves on the list without reason.He also believes that the no-fly list is in need of "massive legislative overhaul," saying that the list needs to be based on actual probable cause, and ought to be directly tied to constitutional standards from a legal standpoint."And it's not, that's why this stuff is so troubling," he said.

Many have called for Capitol Hill rioters to be added to the no-fly list, but watchdog groups say the notoriously secretive process is 'unconstitutional'

Replying to a question raised in <keyword id="48510" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajya-Sabha">Rajya Sabha</keyword> regarding hiring by Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (<keyword id="6354787" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="DGCA">DGCA</keyword>), Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Ministry of Civil Aviation stated that the agency has hired for 75 new positions, it had created last year. 
	 
	“The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) accorded approval to DGCA to directly hire the FOIs from the market instead of going through the UPSC route while Department of Expenditure approved the proposal for paying remuneration to the FOIs at par with the industry,” said Sharma. 
	 The decision was taken following <keyword id="137685" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="FAA">FAA</keyword>’s audit in December 2013, which was a follow-up of the audit carried out in September 2013. The US auditor Federation of Aviation Administration (FAA) had pointed out that DGCA did not have adequate number of Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) required for checking the worthiness of an aircraft. 
	 
	Last year, the DGCA hired only 18 FOIs on full-time contract basis out of the approved 75 FOI positions. According to him, 40 positions have been created for FOIs for commercial aircraft while seven has been made for helicopters. Similarly, 17 Senior FOIs for airplanes have been appointed while three appointments have been made for helicopters. 
	 
	He further added, “The government will appoint six and one Deputy FOIs for airplanes and helicopters respectively. While only one Chief FOI will be there for both aircrafts.” 
	 
	Last year, the US auditor had raised doubts on DGCA’s performance as the industry watchdog. “The FAA had categorically pulled up DGCA for lack of adequate number of type-rated operations inspectors as we had been using the services of FOIs from the airlines themselves. This has actually compromised the quality of the inspection carried out by the regulator,” disclosed a senior official from the ministry. 
	 
	Representational Image: Indiatimes.com

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