MUMBAI: To manage pilot fatigue better and check its possible implications on flight safety, India has introduced significant changes to the rules that structure the duty time and mandatory rest periods for airline
pilots
. Though the revised ‘Flight Duty Time Limitations’ (FDTL) regulations for rostering of flight crew have come into immediate effect, airlines have been given time till June 1 to comply with the revised norms, said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (
DGCA
) on Monday.
"After an in-depth analysis of pilot rosters, fatigue-related reports and direct feedback from pilots, we have introduced revised FDTL regulations that include increased rest periods, redefining night duty and regular fatigue reports to be shared by airlines," tweeted civil aviation minister, Jyotiraditya
Scindia
.
A significant change is an increase in pilots’ weekly rest period from 36 hours to 48 hours. "It’s a welcome move. Unlike others who have a 5 or a 6 day week, our weekly rest period comes after 7 days of working an average of 10-12 hours a day with no fixed duty time," said a senior pilot. The other prominent revision comes by way of the definition of "night duty". Earlier,
flights
scheduled between midnight and 5 am fell into the ambit of night duty and attracted increased rest periods. Now, the night duty period has been extended to 6 am.
“The revised regulations have taken into consideration different types of operations across time zones. The maximum flight time and maximum flight duty period for flight operations encroaching night have been restricted to 8 hours flight time and 10 hours flight duty period respectively and the number of landings have been limited to only two landings as compared to maximum permissible 6 landings under previous regulations during night operations, thus enhancing flight safety,” it added. In addition, DGCA has mandated that all airline operators shall submit quarterly fatigue reports after analysis including the Action Taken on such reports. Further, it has been stipulated that the fatigue reports shall follow a non-punitive and confidentiality policy.
The DGCA also envisages the adoption of a new regime of fatigue management, called 'Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS)', said a statement released by the ministry, adding that the revised FDTL regulations is a stepping stone towards FRMS implementation in India. FRMS entails data-driven monitoring of flight crew fatigue done in collaboration between airlines, flight crew and the regulator. FRMS was introduced in 2011 jointly by an airlines trade body, an international pilots’ union and a UN specialised agency that defines standards and recommended practises for air transportation. To manage pilot fatigue, a number of airlines worldwide have implemented FRMS in the past decade.
In August, a 40-year old IndiGo pilot suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away in the security hold area of the Nagpur airport minutes before he was to board the aircraft to operate a flight to Pune. The sudden death brought to fore a host of fatigue-related issues plaguing airline pilots and had the regulator undertake a review of the existent FDTL norms. Following inputs from pilots and other stakeholders, late last year, the DGCA released a draft FDTL listing the changes. It was open for suggestions and observation till December 06.
"Crew member fatigue is now acknowledged as a hazard that predictably degrades various types of human performance and can contribute to aviation accidents and incidents. Fatigue is inevitable in 24/7 operations because the human brain and body function optimally with unrestricted sleep at night. Therefore, as fatigue cannot be eliminated, it must be managed," states the FRMS guide for airline operators released by ICAO, IATA and IFALPA about a decade ago.
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