Final Up to date:October 26, 2025, 23:57 IST
ALPA urges DGCA to withdraw prolonged FDTL for Boeing 787, citing security dangers.
The Airline Pilots’ Affiliation of India (APAI) has raised severe security issues with the DGCA concerning the extension of Flight Responsibility Time Limits (FDTL) for Boeing 787 two-man crews. (File)
The Airline Pilots’ Affiliation of India (ALPA) on Sunday urged the Director Common of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to withdraw its current extension of Flight Responsibility Time Limits (FDTL) for Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane operations, citing severe security dangers.
In a letter addressed to the aviation watchdog, the pilots’ physique mentioned that the choice to increase the already stretched Flight Responsibility Time Restrict (FDTL) for Boeing 787 Dreamliners creates a “situation ripe for fatigue-induced errors”.
For the Boeing 787, two-man flight crew operations, the Flight Responsibility Time Limitation (FDTL) has been elevated to 10:30 hours from 10 hours, and the Flight Responsibility Interval (FDP) to 14 hours from 13 hours.
FDP is the time period for which a flight crew member is on responsibility for working an plane and ends when a aircraft involves relaxation on the finish of a flight.
The letter to the DGCA additionally highlighted the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airworthiness Directive (AD), FAA-2024-0218, which has restricted the seat recline operate of the flight’s captain on the Boeing 787 owing to security issues.
Within the letter, ALPA additional mentioned the entire thought of formulating a Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on FDTL was based mostly on intensive analysis and scientific research on human fatigue and its operational penalties.
“The current deviation gives the look that the DGCA is inserting larger consideration on operator comfort and commercials moderately than prioritising the core goal of flight security,” it mentioned, including that the transfer is a matter of grave operational and security concern.
Based on the pilots’ physique, there’s a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directive that restricts reclination of the captain’s seat recline operate on the Boeing 787 because of security issues. It mentioned that the shortcoming to recline the seat has decreased the effectiveness of in-flight relaxation, significantly throughout lengthy sectors.
“Extending responsibility hours as an alternative of mandating an augmented crew, significantly so quickly after a current deadly accident, raises severe questions concerning the prioritisation of flight security over operational prices and comfort,” it mentioned.
Other than searching for withdrawal of the choice, ALPA India has requested the regulator to mandate augmented crew (three-man operations) for all flights exceeding eight hours or working by means of the WOCL, till the corrective seat modification is applied and the FAA AD is outdated.
It additionally demanded the DGCA to undertake a complete fatigue threat evaluation in session with flight crew representatives earlier than approving any additional deviation from established limits.
It additional raised issues on the DGCA inserting larger consideration on the comfort of flight operators and business airways moderately than prioritising flight security.
India witnessed one in every of its worst aviation tragedies on June 12 after a London-bound Air India aircraft, carrying 242 passengers and crew, together with former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, crashed right into a medical faculty advanced shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Worldwide Airport. 275 individuals misplaced their lives together with 120 males, 124 ladies, and 16 youngsters.
“Working lengthy routes with restricted relaxation functionality, compounded by antagonistic climate and evening operations, creates a situation ripe for fatigue-induced errors,” the letter mentioned.
(With inputs from PTI)
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and Worldwide information. He’s enthusiastic about day after day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) diploma from Ben…Learn Extra
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and Worldwide information. He’s enthusiastic about day after day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) diploma from Ben… Learn Extra
October 26, 2025, 23:57 IST
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