Untimely death of 37 years young Airline Pilot Himani Kapoor due to sudden fatal cardiac arrest is sad news, he died despite receiving CPR and being rushed to a nearby hospital still he could not been saved, he was young and could have contributed his services for many more years to come, Cardiac deaths due to sudden cardiac arrest and heart attack are becoming common among youngsters, his sudden demise shocks the nation. This could attribute to fatigue and modern lifestyle, which brings to fore the urgency for high-risk individuals to undergo heart screening test, this incident highlights the ongoing issue of stress and fatigue among pilots in Indian carriers.

This incident also contributes to their demanding schedules and extended time away from home, with the changing lifestyle where more In modern times, poor lifestyle choices, stress, and insufficient physical exercise are among the reasons attributed to deteriorating cardiac health in young people.

Hence there is an urgent need for the managements of Airlines to put into a place a transparent regulation that priorities the enough rest for pilots, safety and human scheduling before their next flights especially in light of concerns about pilots fatigue an safety.

End of the day well rested pilots are key to safe flights.

Ramesh G jethwani is a Veteran writer, Voracious reader, Historian and commentator who has been writing in 21 newspapers in India and GCC countries for several decades on various subjects of importance.
His website.www: rameshjethwani.com.

Sir — The gruesome incident at the Kozhikode airport has left citizens shaken. The Kozhikode airport has a table-top runway, just like the one at Mangalore which had witnessed a more horrific crash in 2010 that killed about 160 people. This incident is a reminder to the authorities that they should turn their focus on the safety audit of such table-top airports, which can be unsafe during the rainy season. Either table-top airports should be shut down during the monsoons, especially in the southern states that experience torrential rainfall or they should consider building extra facilities that will make such runways safer.

The pilot and the co-pilot who lost their lives in the line of duty showed exemplary courage and true grit under a trying situation. Their presence of mind helped save over 100 lives. Mention must also be made of the cooperation of local people who immediately swung into action and participated in rescue operations along with the authorities. Their bravery saved lives and deserves applause. Our hearts go out to the family members of those who lost their lives.

Ramesh G jethwani is a Veteran writer, Voracious reader, Historian and commentator who has been writing in 21 newspapers in India and GCC countries for several decades on various subjects of importance.
His website.www: rameshjethwani.com.

Sir, The second fatal crash, after the Lion Air incident in Oct 2018, of a Boeing 737 Max 8 operated by Ethiopian Airways should set off alarm bells in the global aviation sector.

Presently, 300 Boeing 737 Max 8 are in operation and order for more than 5,000 planes has been placed since 2017 by various airlines globally.

The aircraft must be grounded till a safety audit is completed of its airworthiness.

(2) Plane truth,
Deccan chronicle, 13th March, 2019, L.E.

The second fatal crash of Boeing 737 max 8 of Ethiopian Airways has highlighted the urgency of reexamining the safety of over 300 aircrafts being operated bu various airlines including India (A swift call is needed on India's Boeng max jets, DC, 12th March).They need to be grounded immediately till comprehensive safety audit is completed,

In Oct,2017, similar Boeng Aircraft 737 max 8, operated by Lion Air crashed killing 189 people,

Even China the biggest custumer of Max ,(introduced in 2017), has grounded its entire jet fleet,despite disruption to its burgeoning domestic tourism market.

Sir — The second fatal crash of a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, operating under Ethiopian Airlines, highlights the urgent need to re-examine its safety (“Second new plane crashes, 157 killed”, March 11). This aircraft is used by various airlines across the world, including ones in India. Until now, over 300 of these Boeing jets were in operation worldwide, and orders for more than 5,000 of them have been placed since 2017 by airlines globally. Last October, the same model, operated by Lion Air, crashed in Indonesia, killing 189 people.

These incidents underline a new problem in civil aviation.

Considering the safety of passengers, even China — the biggest user of the aircraft — has grounded all 371 jets of this model, risking disruptions in its domestic tourism market. Human life is more important than commerce. Therefore, the aircraft must be kept grounded until a comprehensive safety audit of its airworthiness has been completed.

Sir, The second fatal crash, after the Lion Air incident in Oct 2018, of a Boeing 737 Max 8 operated by Ethiopian Airways should set off alarm bells in the global aviation sector. Presently, 300 Boeing 737 Max 8 are in operation and order for more than 5,000 planes has been placed since 2017 by various airlines globally.

The aircraft must be grounded till a safety audit is completed of its airworthiness.

The second fatal crash of Boeing 737 max 8 of Ethiopian Airways has highlighted the urgency of reexamining the safety of over 300 aircrafts being operated by various airlines including India (A swift call is needed on India's Boeng max jets,DC,12th March). They need to be grounded immediately till comprehensive safety audit is completed,

In Oct,2017, similar Boeing Aircraft 737 max 8, operated by Lion Air crashed killing 189 people,

Even China the biggest custumer of Max, (introduced in 2017), has grounded its entire jet fleet,despite disruption to its burgeoning domestic tourism market.

Sir, Apropos “AI flight hits Tiruchi airport wall during take-off” (DH, Oct 12), the incidents of commercial aircraft running into airport walls, near-misses, skidding off runways, and not following proper safety operating procedures should raise alarm bells.

It’s high time the Centre holds a comprehensive safety audit of the civil aviation industry. Better training to pilots, cabin crew, technical staff and ATC personnel can lower such incidents and make air travel safer.

Sir,Indian commercial are flying into serious safety problems.This ha st alarm bell ringing and the problem needs to be addressed with priority that deserves. Very recently passengers on Mumbai jaipur jet airways flight had a horrifying experience because of alleged failure of crew to maintain pressure. this is a fundamental requirement in flights operations, Children bled from their nose and mouth.

The pilot forgotten to switch on the system that maintains the cabin pressure in the mid air, Perhaps the incident is first of its kind in India, clearly safety standard is not being maintained especially the rules of safety operating procedures.

It is imperative to conduct comprehensive safety audit of commercial aircraft and cabin crew staff must be strictly advised to strictly with safety procedure so that such horrific accidents are avoided.

It can be threat to the lives of senior citizens and minors.

Sir — Incidents of Indian commercial aircraft running into serious safety problems during flights have often rung alarm bells. The most recent one, in which the pilots forgot to switch on the system that maintains cabin pressure on a flight from Mumbai to Jaipur, resulted in many passengers bleeding from their ears and noses (“Pressure havoc inside Jet flight”, Sept 21).

This incident is perhaps the first of its kind in Indian civil aviation. Yet it points to the lack of compliance with safety operation procedures in the aviation industry. It is high time that the government carried out a comprehensive safety audit of all commercial flights.

Cabin crew should also be trained to handle such mid-air crises, as these can be life-threatening, especially for senior citizens and children.

Sir - The recent crash of a Beechcraft King Air C90 aircraft in Mumbai highlights the need to focus on the maintenance of planes owned by private companies. However, the pilots must be congratulated for their presence of mind and exemplary dedication to their profession. They prevented a massive catastrophe by steering the plane away from the dense residential areas of Ghatkopar before it crashed near a construction site.

Safety audits of all private chartered airlines must be carried out and a high-level investigation into the incident should be conducted. The authorities of the company which manufactured the plane must be held accountable so that such mishaps are not repeated.

Rising incidences of commercial aircraft having near misses and skidding should raise alarm bells in India. A near-disaster at Delhi airport is an eye-opener — a potentially major aviation disaster between two aircraft was averted in the nick of time. Similarly, an aircraft skidded at Goa airport, with minor injuries to passengers. India needs to urgently improve its air safety.

Not much has happened in this regard since the near miss of an aircraft carrying the country’s president at Mumbai airport in 2011, even though elsewhere in the world near misses are taken very seriously and thoroughly investigated.

India has seen an aviation boom in the last decade, with new airports, new airlines, and Gulf airlines starting daily flights from airports throughout the country. However, this boom has led to a crippling shortage of highly trained pilots, air traffic control (ATC) personnel and other technical staff.

It is high time the government carry out a comprehensive safety audit of the civil aviation industry, and improve staff training and coordination.

Dear Sir, The incidences of commercial aircraft running into near-misses and skidding off runways should have raised alarm bells in India. The near-disaster at Delhi Airport last month when two aircraft belonging to Indigo and Spice Jet came face to face on the runway is an eye-opener. The potential disaster was averted just in the nick of time. Similarly an aircraft skidded off the runway at Goa airport, causing minor injuries to passengers. These incidences bring to fore the fact that India has to give urgent attention towards upgrading air safety.

India has seen a massive aviation boom in the last decade, when new green field airports were developed, new airlines started operating and Gulf carriers began daily operations to and from airports in different parts of India. This boom has led to a crippling shortage of experienced pilots, ATC (air traffic control) personnel and other technical staff.

It’s high time the Government of India carried out a comprehensive safety audit of its civil aviation industry. Better training to pilots and ATC personnel can reduce such incidents in future and make air travel safer.

Sir, The gruesome terrorist attack at Brussel has turned the global attention on the most crucial aspect of security at public spaces like airports. Upon entering the airport, we are physically frisked and our hand baggage checked only before boarding the plane. This makes it easy for someone to carry explosives into the departure lounge unhindered and disappear into the crowd.

To make air travel safer, the best measure will be to screen passengers and baggage while entering the airport. This may take time, but it will certainly save lives.

Sir - The terrorist attack inside Istanbul's main airport is a grim reminder of the pathetic state of security in most international airports. In March, there had been a similar attack in Brussels airport.

Indian airports are particularly vulnerable to terror attacks. At present, one can enter an Indian airport simply by showing the ticket and the identity proof. A passenger is not physically frisked at the entry point and the hand baggage is checked after the passenger has already entered the airport. If someone wants to conduct a terrorist strike, he or she can well carry explosive materials, hide them somewhere in the airport lounge and disappear into the crowd.

The government should immediately carry out safety audits in all the international airports in India and tighten the existing security measures in order to prevent the occurrence of a Brussels- or an Istanbul-type attack.

The deadly terrorist attack in Brussels has turned the global attention to the most crucial aspect of security and the vulnerability of public places, particularly airports, metro stations and shopping malls.

One enters an airport by showing the ticket and identity proof to security personnel at the main entrance. The passenger is physically frisked and the hand baggage is checked much later, that is after the boarding pass is handed over. Until this point, passengers are not screened to check if anyone is carrying explosives or weapon. If someone wants to set a blast, he can just carry material like dynamites or RDX, keep it inside the departure lounge unhindered and disappear in the crowd.

It is necessary to remember that airports are critical infrastructure of any country and very vital from the security point of view. Any terrorist attack inside the airport is catastrophic with far reaching implications for citizens as well as the country.

In the current scenario, to make air travel safer, the best course of action will be to screen the passengers and their baggage at the entrance itself. In this case, the passengers will have to reach the airport earlier, which is worth doing so in order to save lives.

Dear Sir,The Egypt Air crash is a grim reminder of the fact that something is lacking with the safety standard at departure points of airports which need to heighten the scrutiny further.

The Airbus A 320 carried 56 passengers and 10 crew members and security when it left Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris last Wednesday headed for Cairo. It crashed in the Mediterranean early Thursday.

Airbus A320 has proven to be a very reliable medium-haul aircraft and there have been no major technical failures.

So it looks technical faults are unlikely to have been behind the EgyptAir crash.Security has been tightened at all European airports, especially in Paris and Brussels, with stringent checks for departing passengers, after the recent terror strikes there.

Hence it will be a cause of considerable concern if it is proven that terrorism was behind the crash.Some sources already suspect the crash was caused by an act of terror, but no group has come forward to claim responsibility.

An extensive safety and security audit must be carried out at all airports globally to find out if there are any lapses in security arrangements with them so that they could be corrected immediately.

Sir — The Beechcraft King C90 aircraft crash in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, last week brought to the fore of the fact that authorities should turn their focus on maintaining these aircraft that are owned by private companies. The aircraft took off from Juhu airstrip for a test run and then crashed near a building site while trying to make an emergency landing.

I congratulate the woman pilot who exhibited exemplary dedication to her profession and presence of mind by steering the plane away from the residential area to save peoples’ lives.

Safety audit of private chartered airlines must be carried out and the matter should be investigated thoroughly so that such mishaps do not take place in the future.

Sir, Apropos "Missing AN-32, a warning signal" (DH, July 27). The Indian Air Force transport aircraft AN-32 with 29 personnel on board that went missing over the bay of Bengal is an extremely tragic loss. It was on a scheduled sortie from Tambaram air-base in Chennai to Port Blair in Andaman. The continued search efforts by the Air Force, Navy and the Coast Guard to locate the aircraft have proved futile. In recent times, there have been many reported crashes of IAF planes, with speculations that AN-32 may be the 13th.

These accidents bring to the fore urgency and importance of a comprehensive safety audit of all Air Force assets. IAF's first concern must be upgrading the radar technology and electronic systems. Apart from AN-32, even other frontline aircraft have reported issues related to service and maintenance.

If the government does not jump to action immediately, such frequent accidents will impact the preparedness and morale of the IAF personnel.

There are only a few air tragedies more heart rending . than the crash of Air India flight at Mangalore heartrending in May 2010. The DGCA's decision to lab I Mangalore airport as one of the 11 most unsafe airports in In la calls for more attention on the part of authorities to ensure that safety-related measures are followed.

few years ago, India had relatively good air-safety standards. Of late, civil aviation experts have been repeatedly expressing the view that the standard was drastically declining. Your news report on 11 most unsafe airports in India clearly points towards lax air-safety standards. There have been many cases of close shaves, highlighting that something is seriously wrong with the system in managing India's aviation.

It is high time that India carries out a comprehensive safety audit of its civil aviation industry to make travel safe and bring back the now-lost sense of safety.

The security lapse at the Bangalore international Airport (BLA) raises doubts about the safety of air passengers in our country Despite terror threat advisories, a package containing a crude-bomb passed through IRA's security check and was found only later after the plane landed at Thiruvananthapuram. This implies that the current security measures at our airports are not sufficient to prevent terror strikes.

There is an immediate need to carry out an extensive safety audit at all our airports.

However, in the meantime, security must be beefed up at all the airports.

Sir,An aircraft landing on the wrong runway at the Delhi airport on Tuesday is the latest in a series of recent incidents when aircraft came to the brink of major accidents due to incorrect landing. It's only good fortune that in all such cases no other aircraft was scheduled to take off or land. Otherwise there could have been organized.

In these situations, the mere canceling of the pilot's license is not the answer. The AAI needs to go for a comprehensive assessment of the prevailing air safety conditions. Many dangers lurk in the Indian skies as better economic conditions have completely changed the civil aviation scenario in the country.

There are many budget airlines plying today and this has contributed to the massive increases in air traffic. As reported in the media, there is an alarming shortage of pilots and technical staff for navigation and air traffic control. Paradoxically, the shortage of pilots has led to an increase in the recruitment of pilots of foreign origin, who are not well-versed with local conditions.

This has increased the incidence of the failure of navigation aids such as Instrument Landing System, radars and so on. It is imperative that strict standards of safety are maintained. We need to have better coordination between the air traffic control and the meteorological department, improve infrastructure and better utilize the available ground infrastructure and equipment.

The near-disaster at Mumbai airport is an eye opener (Prez fleet creates air havoc, Feb. 10). A potentially major mishap was averted due to quick action by the pilot of the Air India flight that was taking off when a helicopter from the presidential fleet landed on the runway without clearance.

Air safety standards at airports should be given utmost importance. In this particular case, a special inquiry should be ordered by a team comprising the police, the IAF and retired civil aviation experts.

Sir — The plane crash in Mangalore is one of the worst disasters in India’s aviation history. It is a grim reminder of the need to improve safety standards in the aviation sector, which has seen massive expansion in recent times (“Mangalore calling”, May 25).

In the case of the Indian railways, impartial probes are conducted by a commission for railway safety which works under the administrative control of the civil aviation ministry.

The probe into the aviation disaster, however, is being headed by the DGCA. What is needed is the setting up of an independent authority along the lines of the American National Transport and Safety Board. In the aftermath of such accidents, the government should take steps to set up a regulatory body like the NTSB, which would be empowered to order probes, define policies and safety parameters for flights, monitor airport infrastructure and improve training of aviation employees.

Sir — The plane crash in Mangalore is one of the worst disasters in India’s aviation history. It is a grim reminder of the need to improve safety standards in the aviation sector, which has seen massive expansion in recent times (“Mangalore calling”, May 25).In the case of the Indian railways, impartial probes are conducted by a commission for railway safety which works under the administrative control of the civil aviation ministry.

The probe into the aviation disaster, however, is being headed by the DGCA. What is needed is the setting up of an independent authority along the lines of the American National Transport and Safety Board. In the aftermath of such accidents, the government should take steps to set up a regulatory body like the NTSB, which would be empowered to order probes, define policies and safety parameters for flights, monitor airport infrastructure and improve training of aviation employees.

The air crash is the grim reminder of the need to improve safety standards in the aviation sector, which has seen massive expansion recently. The Mangalore mishap took place in spite of the good weather and huge team of experienced pilots we have in country.

Experts have repeatedly demanded the setting up of a completely independently safety authority on the lines of American /Us national Transport and safety board.

The government should not wait any further and should immediately set up a national Air safety board for probing air mishaps without interference from any quarters.

One hundred and fifty-eight people lost their lives in one of the worst air disasters in India's aviation history.

The accident in Mangalore spotlights the poor safety measures at the country’s runways. That the accident occurred despite good weather and experienced pilots being in the plane amply shows the cause was not only human error. We have seen many near-accidents during landings and takeoffs that could have been fatal.

All these point to the need for an independent aviation authority that could properly investigate the causes behind such mishaps.

In fact, there has been constant demand in the country for setting up an independent aviation body similar to the US National Transportation Safety Board, that is an independent US government investigative agency responsible for investigating civil transportation accidents.

Such a body should also devise policies to upgrade safety on the runways and put in place a system that can minimize chances of air accidents.

It should also see to it that the standard of training for pilots is raised to make them.

The Air crash at Mangalore has claimed 150 lives and eight passengers have miraculously been survived. As usual, the civil aviation ministry has ordered an enquirer, like always. after the inquiry, no report will be made public, union civil aviation minister Praful Patel has offered to resign owning moral responsibility, or the mishap. knowing well that prime minister would it accept it, soon the frenzy will die out and it will be back to as usual lackadaisical maintenance, lack of accountability and rude airlines staff, passenger only suffers.

The country has just witnessed a major aviation tragedy in Mangalore. Several accidents have been averted due to sheer luck or timely intervention. Your news report, 'AI pilot takes a loo break, plane plunges 15,000 ft', is yet another example of a near crash. Every such incident gives us an opportunity to put our house in order.

It's high time we rectified our mistakes. We can't afford to be careless.

This crash is a grim reminder of the needto improve safety standards in the aviation sector which has seen massive expansion recently. Mangalore mishap took place in spite of good weather and good team of experienced pilots,Experts have repeatedly demanded setting up of completely independent safety authorities on lines of US transport and safety board,The governmnet should not any further and immediately set up Air safety board for probing air mishaps without interference from any quarter.

I refer to the dreadful plane crash in Libya that killed 103 people. This incident is a grim reminder of the fact that though the aviation industry has made progress, the safety aspects still remain a blur. Some time ago, an air crash claimed the lives of many top leaders in Poland.

This necessitates the need for inspection of all existing planes and also better coordination between pilots and the ATC.

This refers to the report "US cuts India's air safety rating" (February 1). The US Federal Aviation Administration's decision to downgrade India's safety ranking from Category I to Category II is a matter of great concern for the country's booming civil aviation sector. This points to the fact that India lacks the necessary regulations to meet minimum international air safety standards, the deficiency in technical standards or the lack of trained manpower.

In the last decade, our aviation sector has seen a boom, but we have paid little attention to air safety. One of the reasons is that we have cussed more on developing large, modern and high-tech airports. We have not invested in developing and training human resources. We find a big shortage of air traffic controllers; many pilots have left Indian carriers for greener pastures because of low salaries and the inadequacy of modern training by Indian airline operators.

It is high time the government appoints a strong chief for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to oversee air safety, invest heavily in human resources to provide better training, recruit more professional and technical staff and carry out a comprehensiveair safety audit of the entire sector. This would give some much-needed confidence to passengers and the global aviation industry.

Flying off the mark The US regulatory aviation body(FAA) decision to downgrade India's aviation safety ranking has brought to the fore several issues regarding air safety standards prevailing in the country's aviation sector(February 1). This is a matter of great concern for the growing civil aviation sector that need to be addressed urgently on a war footing. In the last decade, India's aviation sector has seen a massive boom, but we have not paid much attention to air safety. Instead, we have paid more attention towards developing modern, hi-tech airports, even as air safety has taken a backseat.

We have not invested heavily in developing and training human resources and today, we face a huge shortage of air traffic controllers(ATC). Many pilots have left Indian Airlines for greener pastures and headed for lucrative jobs with Gulf airlines. There have been many misses over Indian skies and at airports, but we seem quite unfazed by these.

The DGCA needs a strong chief to overhaul air safety measures and take all the necessary steps towards making this sector the safest in the world.

SIR, The decision of the US regulatory aviation body (FAA) to downgrade India's civil aviation safety ranking from top to second category is a matter of concern for the country's booming civil aviation sector. It has also brought to the fore several issues regarding the standards of air safety. This is a major setback for civil aviation, one that needs to be addressed urgently. It is obvious that the country lacks necessary laws or regulations to meet minimum international air safety standards. It may even be deficient either in technical standards or trained manpower of international standards.

Over the past decade, the country's aviation sector has witnessed a boom, but we have not paid sufficient attention to air safety. We seem to be focused on the development of hi-tech airports. Air safety has been accorded a relatively minor rating. The government has not invested in training human resources. As a result, there is a shortage of Air Traffic Controllers (ATC). Many pilots have left Air India for greener pastures, especially to airline companies in the Gulf.

There have been air-misses in the skies and at airports. Unfortunately, not much attention has been paid to such hazards. The government needs to appoint a strong head of DGCA to oversee air safety, invest adequately in human resources in order to provide better and modern training and recruit more professional and technical staff. Also required is a comprehensive air safety audit of the aviation sector. The credentials of the pilots need to be checked.-Yours, etc.

Nobody cares about the safety of residents who live near the HAL. Fortunately, the helicopter that crashed into the apartment did not explode. How can the authorities permit trainee pilots to fly in heavily populated areas? I live in Indiranagar and I often see helicopters flying all the time. Such training must be imparted in open fields or from the Yelahanka air force base, which has vast open spaces. This would ensure that civilians are not at risk.

Sir — A horrifying accident on December 16 led to the death of an Air India technician (“Airport horror: scan on lapses”, Dec 18). The technician, Ravi Subramanian, died as a result of being sucked into the engine of an Air India flight bound for Hyderabad. The plane was ready for departure when the accident occurred, during the pushback at the Mumbai airport.

This mishap gives rise to concerns about the safety standards being followed in airports and other sectors of transport in India. Accidents like this are rare. Both the directorate general of civil aviation and Air India have ordered inquiries into the matter. An inquiry should also be held by an independent source to ascertain whether it was lack of coordination between the pilot and the ground staff or the failure to follow standard operating procedure that led to the accident. Safety audits at airports may be one way of preventing such accidents.

The aviation world has been struck by yet another tragedy. It is very rare that non-state players who apparently mistook the Boeing 777 for a military place carrying cargo to their adversaries have targeted a commercial flight.

The death of 298 persons on board Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 has shocked the entire world. This tragic and outrageous shooting down of a MH17 over Ukrainian airspace on Thursday is a direct consequence of the ongoing war in Ukraine between pro-West Ukraine government and pro-Russia separatist groups who have been clandestinely supplied Buk surface-to-air missiles.

This tragedy also highlights challenges the aviation industry is facing in conflict-prone areas. Today aviation technology has improved remarkably to tackle capricious weather, while after 9/11 all governments have vastly improved airport security thus reducing chances of hijacking but all governments should cooperate with each other and pay more attention toward dangers of flying over conflict zones like Ukraine, Syria and Iraq.

The ghastly tragedy of the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 17 highlights challenges the aviation industry is facing in conflict-prone areas. While technology has improved remarkably to tackle capricious weather, and after 9/11, all governments vastly improved airport security, now the time has come for all governments to cooperate with each other and pay more attention to the danger of flying over conflict zones like Ukraine, Syria and Iraq.

This incident also highlights the dangers of sophisticated weapons like Buk missiles falling into the hands of non-state players/militias. Our heart goes out to all those who lost their loved ones in this terrible tragedy.

The puzzle of the tragic disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 is growing more complex, leaving aviation establishments shaken.

It is inconceivable that despite today’s aircraft having much superior avionics, satellite imaging and manufacturing technology supported by advanced information technology a plane can remain without any trace for nearly a week. It is one of the most baffling mysteries in recent aviation history. The challenges facing investigators remain though massive search operations have been carried out by teams comprising thousands of people and the navies and air forces of many nations. It renews the need for still more advanced technology that would create better communication between aircraft and ground stations. This should be done on a priority basis to improve air safety.

Also this tragedy should lead to a revamp in security checks at departure terminals in airports. It is a matter of great concern that two passengers were able to board an international flight on stolen passports listed on Interpol’s database

Sir,(refer The Pioneer 103 People killed in Libya Air Crash)Yesterdays Aircarsh in Libya resulting loss of 104 lives is grim reminder that though Aviation Industry has expended in loops and bounds but Air safety aspect has not taken care of ,about a month back Reformist Polish President and its top leadership perished in Aircrash bringing pall of gloom in country.

In 1st decade of 21st Century their has been massive expansion in aviation Industry worldwide include in India but Aviationsafety has taken back seat we have developed Hitech Airport Infrastructures, new generation state of art Aircrafts but not much attention has been paid towards Air safety Safety aspect ,result is in recent times as we have seen many potentially fatal Air Misses and accidents, even Air Traffic Controllers who control crucial flight safety landing and take-off aspect are most time overstretched in work due to shortage.

Hence Most prudent action should be taken by all Airlines and civil Aviation authorities regarding safety aspect is better coordination between pilots and ATC and serious attention towards Regular maintenance of Aircrafts especially with Airlines of some African Countries and ex soviet and east European Countries who have old Aircrafts of Russian origin whose even spare parts are difficult to get it due to collapse of USSR ,This will have desired result.

The strike by Air India pilots has caused much inconvenience to the thousands of passengers who now find themselves stranded at several airports. Private airlines, taking advantage of the situation, have increased the prices of tickets sharply.

Pilots are among the highly paid professionals in India. It is ironic they are striking for an increase in wages. Still, AirIndia management and pilots should come to an understanding and break the deadlock in the national interest. There was a time when Air India was known as the best managed public sector undertaking in India. It had a team of officers known for professionalism and dedication. Now the national carrier is on the verge of collapse. Still, the situation can be saved if Air India is allowed to run independently and professionally as a commercial outfit free from government control.

This refers to the report, “Pilot, 6 Vaishno Devi pilgrims killed in crash” (November 24). This incident is indeed tragic and has brought to the fore several issues to that need to be addressed on a priority basis.The accident is a grim reminder of the fact that helicopter crashes have been happening too fre.