Now Reading: ‘Suspicion of falsifying records…’: What is DGCA’s new medical test at IAF centres rule for pilots? Here’s why airlines are alarmed
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‘Suspicion of falsifying records…’: What is DGCA’s new medical test at IAF centres rule for pilots? Here’s why airlines are alarmed
‘Suspicion of falsifying records…’: What is DGCA’s new medical test at IAF centres rule for pilots? Here’s why airlines are alarmed
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)’s new rule for industrial pilots to clear medical assessments at Indian Air Force (IAF) centres has brought on alarm amongst airlines in India. The civil aviation authority’s newest directive, issued final week, specifies that industrial pilots should endure medical examinations solely at Indian Air Force services. This supersedes the earlier regulation that permitted these medical assessments at accredited non-public hospitals and by DGCA-empanelled medical examiners. DGCA tips require all pilots to finish common medical examinations which embody a complete set of assessments.
Medical Tests For Pilots: Why Has DGCA Changed Rules?
- According to senior regulatory officers quoted in an ET report, this new rule has been carried out following an incident the place an airline co-pilot suffered a deadly cardiac arrest post-flight.
- Subsequent DGCA investigations revealed the pilot had pre-existing cardiac situations unknown to the airline.
- “We felt that there was a change required for the process as there was suspicion that a few were falsifying records to pass their medicals,” the official was quoted as saying.
Also Read | ‘Altered or forged records..’: DGCA warned Air India Express of delays in Airbus engine fixes; months earlier than AI 171 Dreamliner crash
Why Are Airlines Worried?
Aviation executives are apprehensive that strict army medical standards may result in quite a few pilots being deemed unfit for responsibility, leading to pilot shortages and better insurance coverage prices for airlines.Airline trade leaders specific considerations concerning the vital variations between army and industrial pilot medical requirements. The IAF’s restricted capability has resulted in prolonged processing instances, probably affecting flight operations as a result of pilot availability points.“The air force does not have the mandate and cannot keep increasing its manpower and infrastructure requirements to meet the civil aviation requirements,” an airline official mentioned in accordance with the monetary each day.“Worldwide, India remains the only country which has not severed the cord from the defence establishments for civil pilot medicals; the philosophy and requirements in clearing the pilots for both the civil and defence are very different, hence the need to separate from defence was felt by all countries,” the official added.Also Read | Air India Boeing 787 crash: What introduced down AI 171 aircraft in Ahmedabad? Simulation places deal with technical failureIndian aviation rules require pilots to endure further medical examinations, together with ultrasound, tread mill test and particular biochemical assessments, which are not necessary necessities by main worldwide regulators such because the FAA within the United States or EASA in Europe.According to the Federation of Indian Pilots, army medical doctors adhere to army protocols and operational requirements, main them to evaluate industrial pilots utilizing standards much like these utilized to combat-ready fighter pilots. As a consequence, these physicians ceaselessly advocate industrial aviators to endure complete secondary medical examinations by way of exterior services, leading to time-consuming and expensive procedures that will not all the time be important, it mentioned.“With India becoming the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world, after the US and China, the assumption is that India will require more than 30,000 pilots over the next few years. It is imperative that the process is looked at and revised at the earliest,” a pilot mentioned.
