The aviation watchdog, DGCA, on Wednesday said that camera recording of breath-analyzer testing has been made mandatory for the aircraft operators engaged in seasonal pilgrimage operations and non-scheduled operators.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief Vikram Dev Dutt said that the they have revised the Civil Aviation Requirements 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.  

Highlighting the modifications, he said that if any crew member/student pilot after reaching the airport feels that he/she is unable to discharge his flying duties safely due to sickness, the crew member will intimate his company and in such case the breath-analyzer (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.

“Breath analyzer equipment with fuel cell technology has been made mandatory and a procedure for oversight and surveillance of calibration agencies has been introduced,” said Dutt. 

The DGCA chief further said that to prevent missed breath-analyzer cases, a provision has been introduced wherein the operating crew travelling as passengers shall undergo breath-analyzer test at the boarding station in case of ramp to ramp transfer for operating flight.

“To facilitate the operators especially in General Aviation, the scope of facilities for undergoing the breath-analyzer examination has been enhanced,” said Dutt. 

“Camera recording of breath-analyzer 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,” the official added. IANS/VB