Federation of Indian Pilots expresses concerns over DGCA’s move to defer pilot duty norms, writes to aviation ministry

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has expressed apprehensions regarding the decision of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to defer the implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for pilots. FIP highlighted that the health of pilots cannot be prejudiced for the commercial benefit of operators.

The development comes after the aviation watchdog deferred the implementation of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, which were to be effective from June, on March 26. The new pilot fatigue norms were aimed at providing pilots with more rest hours to combat fatigue. 

FIP’s letter to Civil Aviation Minister

In light of this FIP wrote a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on March 28 and flagged concerns about the DGCA decision. “The action of the DGCA not only endangers pilot safety but also undermines the safety of passengers which the implementation of the revised CAR (Civil Aviation Requirements) could prevent,” the letter said. 

“Furthermore, the health and safety of the pilots cannot be prejudiced for the commercial benefit of the operators,” the letter added. It may be noted that the FIP has around 5,000 members who are pilots and those related to aviation.

FIP condemns DGCA’s decision citing safety concerns

Furthermore, FIP also emphasised that DGCA’s decision not only jeopardises pilot safety but also compromises passenger safety, which the revised norms aimed to enhance. The group criticized the regulator’s decision to omit the cutoff date for amending regulations regarding consecutive night operations, deeming it arbitrary and granting operators discretionary power. 

“The latest revision by the DGCA has made the revised CAR a dead letter of the law as it has effectively granted operators and discretionary power in implementing the revised CAR,” it said.

Copies of the letter were also sent to the civil aviation secretary and the DGCA chief. Additionally, the FIP argued that the decision does not serve the interests of pilots or the aviation sector in India. 

What are the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation norms?  

The updated Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms entail several key provisions. Firstly, pilots will now benefit from an increased weekly rest period of 48 hours. Additionally, the number of landings permitted during night operations has been capped at two. 

Furthermore, the timeframe considered as “night hours” for pilots has been extended from 00:00-06:00 hours, a modification from the previous 00:00-05:00 hours. 

Moreover, airlines are now mandated to submit quarterly fatigue reports, with strict adherence to a non-punitive and confidential policy. Prior to this, airlines had requested additional time for the implementation of these revised rules, which were officially issued on January 8.