Gulf War Fallout: DGCA Allows Longer Pilot Duty Hours

The Federation of Indian Pilots, said the union has written to the DGCA raising concerns over the extension.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has temporarily allowed longer flight duty time limitations (FDTL) for certain Air India international flights, which have been taking longer routes due to the closure of Iranian and Iraqi airspace since February 28.

Large chunks of the West Asian airspace have since remained closed for commercial flights.

Iran, Iraq Airspace Closure Impact

The airline said 'the unavailability of Iranian and Iraqi airspace has resulted in mandatory rerouting of certain long-haul flights', which are now being operated through alternate corridors.

This, it said, has led to longer sector times and required "a temporary FDTL extension for minimising schedule disruptions and passenger inconvenience".

DGCA Grants Temporary FDTL Extension

FDTL are safety rules prescribed by the DGCA that determine how long pilots can fly and remain on duty before mandatory rest.

Air India said that under the temporary exemption granted by the DGCA, the maximum permissible 'flight time' for two-pilot operations has been increased by 1 hour 30 minutes to 11 hours 30 minutes.

Flight time refers to the period from when an aircraft begins moving for take-off until it comes to a stop after landing.

Air India Long-Haul Flights Rerouted

The maximum 'flight duty period' -- the total time a pilot remains on duty, including pre-flight preparation, the flight itself and post-flight procedures -- has been extended by 1 hour 45 minutes to 14 hours 45 minutes, Air India said.

The airline also said that a 'temporary exemption from the 30-minute roster planning buffer requirement' has been granted on specific flights.

This buffer is an additional margin airlines normally keep while scheduling crew, so that delays do not push pilots beyond their duty limits.

Pilot Flight Time Increased

Certain mitigation measures will accompany the exemption, including 'continuous monitoring and review with the regulator', briefings to crew about the changes, and an 'additional rest period of 4 hours' for pilots operating flights under the exemption, over and above the minimum rest required under DGCA rules, Air India said.

The airline added that the exemption will apply only to certain flights and that the details will be communicated to crews through fleet-specific company NOTAMs -- operational notices used to brief pilots about flight-specific conditions.

Pilot Union Raises Concerns

When asked about this increase in pilot duty hours, an Air India official told Business Standard that the airline will ensure that additional rest -- more than what's mandated -- is given to pilots who are operating flights with increased flying time.

However, C S Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots, said the union has written to the DGCA raising concerns over the extension.

Randhawa said the regulator's civil aviation requirements currently restrict flight time to 10 hours and the flight duty period to 12 hours for operations involving a single landing.

The exemption allows an additional 1 hour 30 minutes of flight time and 1 hour 45 minutes of duty period for two-pilot crews.

He also said the circular does not specify limits on the number of sectors or landings permitted under the exemption.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff