DGCA Comes Out With Draft Guidelines for Fatigue Risk Mgmt System Implementation in Airlines
The DGCA has already put in place revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms for pilots, which are being implemented in a phased manner
New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has come out with draft guidelines for fatigue risk management system (FRMS) for airline crews and maked significant changes in the regulations pertaining to flight duty time limitations (FDTL) in line with the international best practices.
This also includes increasing pilots’ weekly rest from 36 to 48 hours and reduced night flying.
Airlines will have the option to either have the prescriptive FDTL regulations or implement FRMS or have a hybrid approach utilising both, as per the draft advisory. The aviation regulator listed detailed guidance on FRMS approval processes, implementation requirements, and oversight mechanisms to enhance flight safety through scientific, data-driven fatigue management approaches that complement existing prescriptive FDTL regulations.
FRMS should have flight time, flight duty period, and duty period limits based on scientific principles, minimum rest requirements that ensure adequate recovery opportunities and performance monitoring systems to track safety outcomes, among other elements, the DGCA said.