DGCA watching pilots flying more than 1,000 hrs a yr

New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stepped up vigil as most domestic airlines continue to expand their fleets and operations despite the massive shortage of pilots in the country.
A few months back, seven pilots of a national carrier were grounded as they overshot the permitted 1,000 hours in 365 consecutive days. Now a leading private domestic carrier’s pilot is under the scanner for alleged violation of "flight duty time limitation" (FDTL) norms.
"Domestic airlines with big market shares are being closely watched. The cap on flying hours has been placed as per international rules to ensure that pilots are not fatigued and passenger safety is not compromised," said a highly placed official.
Currently, India has 2,600-odd pilots while the requirement is much more and the number of commercial aircraft registered in India is expected to double from the current 321 in the next two to three years.
12/06/07 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: General Aviation Jun 2007, Safety Jun 2007