'Alcohol tests for pilots on intl flights mandatory'

New Delhi: India's aviation regulator has struck a sobering note — don't get high before take off — for pilots of Indian carriers operating international flights this Yuletide. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has made it mandatory for Air India, Jet and Kingfisher to do 100% alcohol testing for all pilots operating flights out of India.
These airlines have also been asked to ensure that the cockpit crew pass breathalyzer tests on the flight back home, according to Indian safety laws and not local rules of those countries. "For this purpose, airlines have been asked to take a doctor on their flight to do the test at foreign airport if they don't have their medico stationed there," said highly placed sources.
DGCA chief Nasim Zaidi is learnt to have adopted a "zero-tolerance policy" on this issue. In fact, the regulator has decided to make punishment for pilots found high at the time of reporting to operate flights very stringent next year. "..For example, the US just suspends forever licence of a pilots caught drunk. We have had similar demands in India too," said sources. The DGCA is going to ensure that pilots are sober at the time of operating flights by moving towards a 100% pre-flight alcohol check for cockpit crew.
26/12/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Foreign Dec 2009, Indian Aviation- In General Dec 2009, Safety Dec 2009