ALPA India: Stricter DGCA Fatigue Risk Safeguards Needed

Mumbai, Sep 15 (PTI) Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) India on Monday said regulator DGCA's proposed fatigue risk management system may become a tool for air operators to extend duty periods at the expense of safety unless there are strict safeguards in place.

In a slew of recommendations to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the union also asked the regulator to put the implementation of the proposed system on hold until the final probe report into the fatal Air India plane crash on June 12 is finalised and relevant safety recommendations on fatigue are incorporated.

On September 4, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) came out with a detailed draft circular on Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS). The regulator said the aim is to enhance flight safety through scientific, data-driven fatigue management approaches that complement existing prescriptive FDTL regulations.

The move also came at a time when the much-discussed Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms for pilots are being implemented in a phased manner amid concerns in various quarters about fatigue among airline crew.

"The draft FRMS circular is a well-intentioned step towards aligning India with global fatigue management practices, but its current form presents significant concerns," ALPA India, an associate member of the global pilots' body IFLAPA, said in its submission to the regulator.

While acknowledging the positive elements such as scientific foundation, structured oversight and emphasis on non-punitive culture in the draft FRMS norms, the association also said, "The risks of misuse, regulatory overlap, operator manipulation, lack of independent pilot oversight, and unresolved safety lessons from recent accidents outweigh the immediate benefits".

According to ALPA India, FRMS should not be introduced as an operational circular but as a Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) after full stakeholder consultations. The proposed mechanism should be implemented gradually, with trial programmes under strict DGCA surveillance and measurable safety benchmarks, it added.

Besides, it has recommended the establishment of an independent pilot body, free from management and commercial influence, with direct reporting to DGCA to ensure impartial examination of fatigue reports.

There should also be a balanced representation in the Fatigue Safety Action Groups (FSAGs) with meaningful involvement of pilot bodies in it and fatigue-related decision-making, as per ALPA India.

As per the draft norms, FSAG will be managed by members with technical expertise, with one representative each from the flight operations department (management and Line Pilot), crew scheduling, training, HR, network planning, safety, and an available aerospace medicine specialist.

Reiterating its support for scientifically based fatigue management, ALPA India emphasised that without independent oversight and strict safeguards, FRMS risks becoming a tool for operators to extend duty periods at the expense of safety.

"A cautious, consultative, and safety-centric approach is therefore essential before nationwide adoption," it said.

Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the crash of the Air India plane after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12. A total of 260 people were killed in the accident of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft.