DGCA releases fatigue risk management framework
Pilots and cabin crew will be expected to monitor their own rest, keep sleep logs and report fatigue, while operators must encourage reporting without penalising staff
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday released a draft framework on Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) for airlines, a model that has long been viewed as a scientific way to manage fatigue among flight crew.
The draft ‘Operations Circular’ clarifies that FRMS will not be mandatory. Airlines may continue under existing duty-hour and rest rules, or opt for FRMS as an alternative if they can demonstrate through data and monitoring that safety is maintained.
FRMS is defined as a “performance-based system” that enables carriers to identify, assess and mitigate fatigue in a structured way. Unlike prescriptive limits that only cap flight duty periods and rest times, the new model relies on bio-mathematical fatigue models, sleep and activity tracking, crew self-reporting and safety-event data to build a more accurate picture of how fatigue develops.
Airlines adopting FRMS will need to establish a formal policy, approved at the senior management level, that covers scheduling, training, reporting systems, and corrective measures. They must show DGCA that their system meets defined safety performance targets through audits, data submissions and oversight reviews. If successful, carriers may be allowed to roster duty periods beyond current limits, but only if fatigue modelling and operational data confirm that safety is not compromised.
The regulator stressed that responsibility will be shared. Pilots and cabin crew will be expected to monitor their own rest, keep sleep logs and report fatigue, while operators must encourage reporting without penalising staff and design rosters that reflect fatigue data. The system’s success, the draft notes, depends on genuine cooperation between airlines and their crew.
The proposal comes amid growing global concern about fatigue as a flight safety risk. In India, the issue has drawn attention in recent years, with reports of extended duty hours and inadequate rest.
DGCA has already revised flight duty time limitations (FDTL) in phases to tighten rest requirements, but fatigue has continued to surface as a concern. The regulator believes FRMS could provide a more flexible yet scientifically robust alternative to rule-based scheduling.
“A pilot may be rostered within legal limits but still experience fatigue due to disrupted sleep cycles, irregular hours or long commutes,” a former pilot said, pointing to the limits of the current approach.
The draft is broadly aligned with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines but adapted for Indian operations. DGCA has invited feedback from airlines, pilot associations and the public until September 15, after which the framework will be finalised.
