Revised rules: Feeling unwell at airport, crew can now skip breath test & not fly that day | India News

NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revised the civil aviation requirements (CAR or rules) on procedure for medical examination of aircraft personnel for alcohol consumption “with the objective of enhancing safety of aircraft operations coupled with streamlining provisions of the existing regulations in line with feedback from industry and stakeholders from time to time for more effective implementation.”
A senior official said now “if any crew member/ student pilot, after reaching the airport, feels that he/she is unable to discharge his flying dutiessafely due to sickness, the crew member will intimate his company and in such case the breath-analyser (BA) test shall not be conducted and same will not be considered as missed BA.However, the crew member/ student pilot shall not be rostered for flying duties on that day and subsequently shall be rostered for flying duties after review by the company doctor.”
“BA equipments with fuel cell technology has been made mandatory. The procedure for oversight and surveillance of calibration agencies has been introduced. To prevent missed BA cases, a provision has been introduced wherein the operating crew travelling as passengers shall undergo BA test at the boarding station in case of ramp to ramp transfer for operating flight,” the official added.
To facilitate operators specially in general aviation, the scope of facilities for undergoing BA examination has been enhanced. Camera recording of BA testing has been made mandatory for the operators engaged in seasonal pilgrimage operations and non-scheduled operators and state governments shall also ensure the compliance of this requirement at base station and in cases where they are away from base station for more than two days and operate a flight from there.