NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has decided to end all dispensations given to airlines — mostly exemption on the maximum time pilots and cabin crew can fly on long flights. While this facility helped carriers save loads of money earlier, it came at the cost of passenger safety.
The aviation regulator's chief Bharat Bhushan decided to end this practice after an Indian carrier approached the DGCA to be allowed to operate aircraft on the India-London route with only a commander and a co-pilot instead of two sets.
Their logic: Two other Indian carriers that fly this route do so with one set of pilots. "Under the flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms, a flight of this duration (almost nine to 10 hours) has to be operated with two sets of pilots, that is two commanders and two co-pilots," sources said.
Instead of acceding to the airline's request, Bhushan decided to review all such dispensations given to airlines, as they potentially affect flight safety. The idea of FDTL norms, which are set to be revised this month, is to have pilots and crew operate for only as long as they can without fatigue and to respond adequately to an emergency situation.
Bhushan said, "We are going to come out with new FDTL norms very soon and then all the dispensations given till now will become invalid. Dispensations will be given in emergency situations. For example, if a flight is not able to land at its destination and is diverted to some other airport, then the same set of pilots and crew can be allowed to fly the plane to the original destination if a replacement is not available at the diversion airport. But this can't be a norm."
The director general has sought a list of dispensations — like the one indicated by Bhushan — given to airlines over the years. But given the extent to which aviation officials and airlines have been hand in glove for decades, no comprehensive list exists. The reason: Airlines gave letters of their request for dispensation about making crew fly for longer than FDTL norms or carrying less cabin crew than required as per the number of doors in an aircraft. The nod was given on the letter itself and taken away by airlines.
The aviation regulator's chief Bharat Bhushan decided to end this practice after an Indian carrier approached the DGCA to be allowed to operate aircraft on the India-London route with only a commander and a co-pilot instead of two sets.
Their logic: Two other Indian carriers that fly this route do so with one set of pilots. "Under the flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms, a flight of this duration (almost nine to 10 hours) has to be operated with two sets of pilots, that is two commanders and two co-pilots," sources said.
Instead of acceding to the airline's request, Bhushan decided to review all such dispensations given to airlines, as they potentially affect flight safety. The idea of FDTL norms, which are set to be revised this month, is to have pilots and crew operate for only as long as they can without fatigue and to respond adequately to an emergency situation.
Bhushan said, "We are going to come out with new FDTL norms very soon and then all the dispensations given till now will become invalid. Dispensations will be given in emergency situations. For example, if a flight is not able to land at its destination and is diverted to some other airport, then the same set of pilots and crew can be allowed to fly the plane to the original destination if a replacement is not available at the diversion airport. But this can't be a norm."
The director general has sought a list of dispensations — like the one indicated by Bhushan — given to airlines over the years. But given the extent to which aviation officials and airlines have been hand in glove for decades, no comprehensive list exists. The reason: Airlines gave letters of their request for dispensation about making crew fly for longer than FDTL norms or carrying less cabin crew than required as per the number of doors in an aircraft. The nod was given on the letter itself and taken away by airlines.
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