Ahmedabad: The report on the Air India AI-171 crash is in its final stages and is likely to be completed soon, civil aviation minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said on Tuesday in Ahmedabad. He addressed the media after inaugurating hub-and-spoke operations at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport.Naidu said the investigation was being conducted in line with international protocols, and the process was being followed with “great sensitivity”.The minister said, “Whenever there is an accident, there is a set protocol under International Civil Aviation Organization, and we are following that protocol.”He said, “Our effort has always been to understand what happened, why it happened, and how it happened, rather than simply looking at the accident.”Naidu further said govt was examining a proposal to increase mandatory pilot testing from the current 10% to 100%. “People, particularly passengers, should have confidence that there is no compromise on safety. Our view is that every pilot should be tested at least once a year,” he said.He said the proposal was currently under stakeholder consultation and that a civil aviation regulation on the issue was expected soon.On the upcoming assessment by US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Naidu said govt was preparing to meet all requirements. “The FAA assessment will take place in Nov. We are fully prepared,” he said. The minister also said the process of selecting new airports was moving quickly, with 11 airports identified for inclusion in the programme.
