Concerned over the growing problem of crew fatigue currently gripping the aviation industry, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is mulling changes to the flight duty and time limitation (FDTL) rest rules formulated way back in 1992.
Private sector carrier Jet Airways has already asked the aviation regulator for introduction of the Boeing Alertness Model (BAM), a modern crew alert system by developed by Boeing and Jeppesen. The Boeing model take into account several factors, including the pilot?s physiology, sleep and time zones travelled, to predict alertness levels.
Over the last several years, Indian aircraft carriers and pilots alike have been lobbying to get scientifically-backed rest rules for the cockpit crew.
The research done on pilot fatigue in the last 20 years has not been used to improve rest rules for the Indian crew.
?It?s high time the government acted swiftly to evaluate the 1992 FDTL objectively and scientifically with regard to the alertness in crews and introduce some tchnologically advanced methods to determine crew alertness,? said a member of the Society for Welfare of Indian Pilots (SWIP), an association of Jet Airways pilots. Globally, Finland?s Finnair was the first airline in the world to introduce an alertness model in finalisation of crew schedules. The model, developed with the aid of BAM, assesses a pilot?s state of alertness and promotes flight safety and well-being at work.
?Finnair continually develops operating practices that support safety and well-being at work and takes proactive steps to reduce possible safety risks. That is why we wanted to be involved in the Jeppesen
research from the very start,? said Finnair?s vice-president, safety and quality management, Antti Aukia.