1 day ago
Pilot federation urges DGCA review after six pilot deaths
The Federation of Indian Pilots is worried that some pilots may be too tired because of demanding work schedules.
It asked India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, to review airline rostering rules.
The group referred to six pilot deaths over the past three years.
One was an Air India pilot found dead in a Delhi hotel room on September 11.
The federation said other deaths occurred between November 2023 and September 2026.
It wants scientists and health experts to study whether work schedules may affect pilots’ health.
It also wants airlines to regularly report fatigue concerns and the regulator to publish anonymous safety information.
However, the federation acknowledged that official investigations have not proven fatigue caused any of the deaths.
The Federation of Indian Pilots urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to end roster-norm exemptions for airlines.
The federation called for an independent scientific review of pilot health trends from 2023 to 2026.
It proposed a national flight risk management system involving regulators, airlines, pilot groups, medical specialists, scientists and human-factors experts.
The FIP requested quarterly fatigue-report submissions from operators and annual publication of anonymised industry fatigue statistics.
The federation said no official investigation has established a direct link between fatigue and the six reported pilot deaths.
- Who
- The Federation of Indian Pilots, led in this request by president C.S. Randhawa, addressed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
- What
- The federation sought an end to airline roster exemptions, an independent review of pilot health trends, and stronger fatigue-monitoring systems.
- Where
- The request was made in India; one cited Air India pilot was found dead in a hotel room in Delhi.
- When
- The request was made on Tuesday; the cited health review would cover 2023-2026.
- Why
- The federation said six pilot deaths and concerns about fatigue, disrupted sleep, limited recovery and long-term health effects warrant regulatory review.
Key facts
- Requesting organisation
- Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP)
- Regulator addressed
- Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
- Deaths cited
- Six pilot deaths over the past three years
- Proposed review period
- Pilot health trends from 2023 to 2026
- Requested reporting
- Mandatory quarterly operator reports on fatigue concerns, corrective actions, FRMS indicators and fatigue-related events
- Transparency proposal
- Annual publication of anonymised industry fatigue statistics by the DGCA
- Causal finding
- The FIP said no official investigation has established a direct causal relationship between fatigue and the individual fatalities
Quotes
Federation of Indian Pilots
Pilot federation representing Indian flight crew
“Recent pilot fatalities occurring during operational duty cycles, training activities, and crew rest periods have intensified concerns within the pilot community regarding cumulative fatigue, circadian disruption, recovery opportunities, and long-term health consequences associated with current operational practices.”
telegraphindia.com
“However, the occurrence of multiple untimely pilot deaths among relatively young and medically certified flight crew warrants a comprehensive regulatory review of fatigue exposure, rostering practices, recovery opportunities, medical surveillance, and FRMS effectiveness.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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