DGCA firm on implementing new duty norms for pilots

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) says it will not go back on its new directive for airlines to provide more rest to pilots despite a demand from the industry to extend the June deadline for the implementation of the directive, which they warn will lead to a shortage of pilots, resulting in flight cancellations and hikes in airfares during the peak summer travel season.

The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), a group of domestic airlines, in its letter to the DGCA, called the six-month deadline until June for implementing the new duty norms “inadequate”. Following concerns from pilots about rising fatigue levels, the revised “flight duty time limitation”, issued by the regulator on January 8, curtailed night-time flying as well as enhanced weekly rest. The FIA includes Air India, SpiceJet, and IndiGo.

“We have given a reasonable period of six months to airlines to go back to the drawing board and plan,” a top DGCA official told The Hindu on the condition of anonymity.

He added that this timeline was provided keeping in mind that a commercial pilot license holder, who has completed his type rating (or training on a specific type of aircraft such as an A320 or Boeing 737 MAX), did not need more than four months to be released for flying by an airline.

Airlines contend that such a training could take “eight-10 months”.

A senior airline executive said that the new norms will require airlines to recruit “10% to 20%” more pilots at a time when the existing strength of pilots in airlines is already stretched. “Our pilots strength and fleet size are neck and neck. We will have no choice but to scale back operations. This will push up airfares. We are already saddled by cancellations in Mumbai ordered by the government to manage congestion,” the executive said.

In response, speaking with The Hindu, the senior DGCA official cautioned airlines against “scaremongering”.

“The new duty norms are based on empirical data, and balance the industry’s growth as well as safety concerns,” he said.

The regulator has now asked various airlines to provide data on the number of first officers and commanders released for flying with them, and those who are under training. 

The new norms broadened the definition of night flying, which was earlier considered to be from midnight to 5 a.m., by raising the upper ceiling to 6 a.m..

It also said that a night duty could not have more than two landings, instead of the six permitted earlier. These are the two important clauses opposed by airlines. Another demand from pilots to abolish the two consecutive days of night flying was, however, not accepted.

The DGCA also enhanced the weekly rest period of “continuous 48 hours”, up from the earlier 36 hours.

The pilot community has maintained that night flying disturbs circadian rhythm and impacts sleep cycles, and with a growing number of night flights to the Gulf region, they were being pushed to do more and more such flights, resulting in mounting fatigue. They demand sufficient rest between two days of night flying to allow the circadian rhythm to reset.