Pilots should refrain from flying beyond FDTL: ASSOCHAM

New Delhi: Stating that majority of air crashes occur due to humon error, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) today urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to refrain pilots rostering beyond normal duty timing, especially during sunrise and sunset, to avoid recurrence of air accidents.
''The ideal way out to avert possible and unforeseen air traffic casualties could be brought to an end on roistering of pilots beyond sunset and sunrise,'' ASSOCHAM Secretary General DS Rawat said in a statement.
''Of late the issue of pilot fatigue on account of their sudden and unexpected rostering beyond Flying Duty Time Line (FDTL) and sunset and sunrise has brought national carrier unprecedented criticism and even caused it hurt and embarrassment
and thereby, putting its credibility in the dumps,'' he added.
The apex industry body also went on to suggest that state-created training infrastructure and facilities for pilots should be permitted to be pooled in with other operators in the private domain irrespective of their size.
''This has become necessary as training facilities for pilots exist with a few bigger airlines and are denied to their counterparts. As a result, the pilots are requisitioned and hired at exorbitantly higher commercial considerations from overseas airlines to bridge the demand-supply gap for air-traffic movement,'' he added.
However, this suggestion should be executed purely on commercial considerations.
25/07/10 Aakash Singh/mynews.in

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Categories: Safety Jul 2010