New Delhi, April 7: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has temporarily relaxed duty time regulations for pilots on long-haul international flights. This decision comes in response to the ongoing conflict in Iran, which has led to the closure of airspace in several Middle Eastern countries, forcing flights to take longer routes.
Asangba Chuba Ao, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, explained that airlines were facing challenges in adhering to the Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) rules due to the extended duration of long flights.
Last year, the DGCA implemented new regulations aimed at reducing pilot fatigue and ensuring flight safety. These rules mandated a continuous rest period of 48 hours for pilots, an increase from the previous requirement of 36 hours.
However, due to the Iran conflict, flight times to Western countries have increased significantly, as aircraft must avoid conflict zones in the Middle East. This has made it difficult for airlines to operate within the established duty time limits.
The DGCA had previously granted some relief until April 30. Now, for long-haul flights operated by two pilots, the Flight Time (FT) has been extended by 1 hour and 30 minutes to 11 hours and 30 minutes, while the Flight Duty Period (FDP) has been increased by 1 hour and 45 minutes to 11 hours and 45 minutes.
The flying time includes the entire duration from taxiing on the runway for takeoff to stopping after landing.
The DGCA has also ensured that airlines comply with these regulations. Monitoring has been intensified on a weekly and bi-weekly basis, with DGCA officials inspecting airlines every two months.
Additionally, the regulator is now closely overseeing airline operations, focusing on pilot rosters, crew availability, backup arrangements, system robustness, and compliance with FDTL rules.
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