DGCA sleeps over enforcing pilot rest rules

Mumbai: While the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has made it mandatory for flight attendants to check on pilots during lean-activity periods in the cockpit to prevent the flying crew from falling asleep at the controls, the country's aviation regulator is yet to issue scientifically backed pilot rest rules despite the rising instances of fatigue-related air crashes the world over.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) had set a 2009 deadline for adopting scientifically backed pilot rest rules, but India-despite being a signatory-is yet to comply. The country's air carriers currently follow rest rules framed way back in 1992, a time when the concept of fatigue-management to reduce air crashes was relatively unheard of.
In 2008, the DGCA put in force scientifically backed rest rules (written in 2007) as by then the global airline industry had registered fatigue's ever-increasing role in air crashes. But within a month after it was issued, the regulator bowed down to pressure from airlines (for one, the new rules meant more rest period and so more pilots per aircraft) and withdrew it to bring back the 1992 rest rules.
02/08/10 Manju V/Times of India

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Aug 2010, Safety Aug 2010