E-Paper
Pilots’ body calls for implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations
Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) said it is regrettable to observe that the DGCA has chosen to disregard its representations
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has written to the civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) underlining the need to implement the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) considering passenger safety. It said the health and safety of the pilots cannot be prejudiced for the commercial benefit of the operators.
In a letter dated March 28 (Thursday), FIP urged Scindia’s intervention to ensure that the civil aviation regulator implements the revised rules as announced earlier. The DGCA this week deferred the implementation of the revised duty time limits for aircrew.
The FIP, the Air India Pilots’ Union, the Indian Pilots’ Guild, and the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Guild moved the Delhi high court over duty timings. Revised civil aviation regulations (CAR) were later filed in the court. In a notification in January, DGCA said no operator/flight crew engaged in operations violating the revised duty timings would be able to operate beyond June 1 unless the requirement of the revised CAR was complied with.
The FIP said the airline operators, through the Federation of Indian Airlines, submitted a representation before the DGCA seeking deferment of the implementation of the revised CAR. It attached a copy of the representation. “FIP submitted a representation to DGCA as the request of the operators was prejudicial to passenger safety and the FIP asserted that such deferment requests made by the operators should be rejected by the DGCA.” The DGCA, however, decided to defer the implementation of the revised norms, it added.
The letter said it is regrettable that the DGCA has chosen to disregard the representations made by the FIP. It added without prior consultation with stakeholders, the DGCA issued a revised version of the CAR on March 26. “This revision eliminates the mandatory requirement for operators to implement the Revised CAR before 01.06.2024. Instead, operators engaged in scheduled air transport operations are now permitted to continue operations in accordance with CAR Section 7...until the approval of their respective schemes, in alignment with the new CAR,” the letter said.
“The latest revision by the DGCA has made the Revised CAR a dead letter of the law as it has effectively granted operators discretionary powers in implementing the Revised CAR....”
The FIP said DGCA’s move not only endangers pilot safety but also undermines that of passengers. It added implementation of the revised CAR could prevent this.
