DGCA updates flight duty guidelines; pilots to get more rest amid fatigue concerns

In a huge relief for pilots battling with weariness, the aviation authority DGCA issued updated guidelines on Monday that extend their weekly rest period to 48 hours and limit the number of landings during night operations to two.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also expanded pilots' night hours to cover the time from 0000-0600 hours, up from 0000-0500 hours previously.

Besides, all airlines have to compulsorily submit quarterly fatigue reports, which "should follow a follow a non-punitive and confidentiality policy".

The revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for the flight crew, prepared after data analysis and stakeholder consultations, also come at a time when there are rising concerns about pilot fatigue, especially after an IndiGo pilot collapsed and died at Nagpur airport in September last year.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said a bunch of much-awaited reforms in FDTL for pilots has come through.

The official statement said, "The introduction of these reforms in the civil aviation sector would be a substantial step forward in addressing pilot fatigue, enhancing overall flight safety and balancing it with the projected growth of the aviation sector in India." 

The airline operators are required to comply with the revised regulations latest by June 1.

The amended norms mandate increased weekly rest periods to 48 hours from 36 hours earlier for the flight crew to ensure "sufficient time for recovery from cumulative fatigue".

The Civil Aviation Minister said in post on X, "After 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. In addition, we will soon transition towards a new regime of fatigue management i.E. Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS), which will be a data-driven approach to enhance monitoring of flight crew fatigue." 

The minister also highlighted that the latest modifications, which are in accordance with worldwide best practices, will guarantee that India has the essential armament as it prepares to take over the largest domestic aviation market title in the future.

According to the statement, the addition of one hour during the early morning will ensure enough rest and also synchronise the night duty time, which includes the Window of Circadian Low (WOCL) between 0200-0600 hours.

The WOCL is the point in the circadian body clock cycle when alertness is at its lowest.

The amended regulations have also taken different types of operations across time zones into account. Maximum flight time and maximum flight duty period for nighttime flight operations have been restricted to eight hours and ten hours, respectively.

The number of landings during night operations has been reduced to two from the previous maximum of six, boosting flight safety, according to the statement.

According to the statement, the June 1 deadline for implementing the amended standards will provide airline operators enough time to adjust to the changes while accounting for logistics, system modifications, and consequential arrangements.

For more than a decade, the FDTL standards have been critical in managing fatigue-related aviation safety hazards.

The DGCA issued suggested modifications to the FDTL standards in November 2023.

To address and mitigate concerns on pilot fatigue through a data-driven approach, the DGCA analysed extensive numbers of pilot rosters, along with pilot fatigue reports submitted by airline operators.

"Based on the study and analysis, some of the key areas inducing fatigue such as maximum Flight Duty Period, Night Duty, Weekly Rest Period, Flight Duty Period Extension etc. Were identified. The revised FDTL regulations have been formulated after extensive data analysis and feedback from various stakeholders which includes airline operators, pilot associations and individuals," the statement said.

It further stated that the FAA's best practices in the United States and EASA's in the European Union were considered in modifying the regulations while keeping the peculiar operating environment in India in mind.

Furthermore, the DGCA intends to implement a new fatigue management regime known as the Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS).

According to the announcement, the updated FDTL laws are a step towards FRMS implementation in India.

The FRMS is a data-driven approach to improving flight crew fatigue monitoring and reporting.

It is expected that multiple aviation stakeholders, including regulators, airline operators, and flight crew, will work together to adopt tight monitoring, record keeping, and reporting requirements to assure adherence to a FRMS system.

Leading carriers Air India and IndiGo have introduced tools to analyse and keep a tab on pilot fatigue.