Move to cut pilots' rest hrs draws HC ire

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Tuesday questioned the aviation ministry’s sudden decision to keep the scientifically chalked out flight duty timings of pilots in abeyance. The lawyer representing the Director General of Civil Aviation had no reasonable reply and sought three weeks’ time to file his say, but a bench comprising Justice S B Mhase and Ashutosh Kumbhakoni gave him only a week, pointing out that the issue was serious as it concerned the safety of not just pilots and passengers but also of people on the ground in case of a crash. TOI had on Tuesday reported the pilots’ associations’ decision to challenge the DGCA’s action in the HC.
“Why have you put the civil aviation requirement (CAR) rules concerning the flight time and duty hours of pilots in abeyance? Why are you creating unrest? Why aren’t you following procedure?’’ the judges wanted to know. When a feeble attempt was made by the DGCA lawyer to explain that a committee had been set up to revise the rules, the judges observed that there was no reason to keep the rules in abeyance so that a committee could get into consultation for their revision.
Sanjay Singhvi, counsel for the Joint Action Committee of the Airlines Pilots’ Association which had moved the high court to quash a May 29, 2008 circular that essentially lengthened the pilots’ work and flight hours, said that by keeping the rules framed only in 2007 in abeyance, the ministry was reverting to the 1992 rules.
18/06/08 Times of India

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Jun 2008, Safety Jun 2008