Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has announced new measures to address concerns of pilot fatigue. Pilots will now be required to have a 48-hour break at the end of a work week, up from the current 36 hours. The definition of night duty has also been expanded by an hour, and maximum flight duty hours have been reduced for pilots working in night operations.
The DGCA said the changes are in line with international best practices and will come into effect by June 1. The regulator will also require airline operators to submit quarterly fatigue reports.
Pilots will need to be given a break for 48 hours at the end of a work week, up from 36 hours at present, India’s aviation regulator said, expanding the mandatory rest period as part of several measures aimed at addressing growing concern of fatigue among flight crew.
The measures come at a time when the industry, in India, is grappling with a shortage of human resources, which has, according to pilot unions, led to them being overworked.