Mumbai: Survey sheds light on fatigue among pilots

Highlights concerns about health implications; recommendations given to DGCA

A recent survey conducted by the Safety Matters Foundation has highlighted concerns about fatigue among airline pilots in India. The survey, which received responses from 530 pilots, primarily captains operating domestic and international flights under six hours, identified prolonged flying duties exceeding 10 hours per day, consecutive night shifts, rapidly rotating weekly rosters and schedules adhering to the minimum mandated rest periods as primary contributors to pilot fatigue.

According to the survey report, approximately 70 per cent of the respondents indicated that flight duty periods exceeding 10 hours profoundly impact the onset of fatigue. India currently permits airlines to schedule pilots for up to 13-hour flight duty periods within a 24-hour timeframe.

Frequent “tail swaps”, where pilots must disembark, proceed to the terminal and undergo security screening before boarding the next aircraft, were cited by 63 per cent of pilots as a significant contributor to fatigue. The survey noted that these frequent aircraft changes, combined with maximum flight duty, minimum rest periods and multiple landings, exacerbate fatigue among pilots.

Capt Amit Singh of Safety Matters Foundation said, “The survey findings and recommendations were submitted to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last week. The report also included comments from 177 pilots, shedding light on the challenges affecting their work-life balance.”

Roster instability emerged as a primary grievance according to the comments, one captain recounted an instance, saying, “My airline woke me at 3.30 am to inform me not to report for duty at 5 am, as it would violate the minimum mandated rest period.”

Pilots also complained about excessive layovers, with some returning home for just one day after working layover flights for six to seven days, rendering their base 
station irrelevant.

Another pilot reported an increase in errors during landings and take-offs due to fatigue, alongside issues such as airlines not granting leave. Another pilot highlighted a worrying trend, noting, “In recent years, the number of Indian pilots who have been declared temporarily or permanently medically unfit has risen,” emphasising fatigue as a significant factor contributing to cardiac diseases among pilots.

2023 tragedy

The issue of pilot fatigue was evident in an incident that occurred in August last year where a 40-year-old pilot suffered a cardiac arrest and died in the security hold area of Nagpur airport, minutes before he was scheduled to operate a flight to Pune. This prompted the DGCA to review norms governing maximum permissible duty periods and minimum rest periods for pilots.

In January this year, the DGCA issued a reformed set of norms with a strict June 1 deadline for implementation. However, following representations by airlines to the civil aviation ministry, the DGCA withdrew the deadline in March, leaving the issue of pilot fatigue unresolved. 

530
No. of pilots who took part in survey

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