Change flight rules: AI pilot union

Mumbai, Oct. 30 -- The Indian Pilot Guild (IPG), an Air India pilot union, on Thursday submitted a long list demand to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that is considering a change in flight duty timing rules.

The demands are significant as seven to eight per cent air mishaps are caused because of fatigued pilots.

The four-member government committee appointed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation headed by the DGCA chief Nasim Zaidi, was instituted after the ministry abruptly suspended a new set of the in 2007, buckling under pressure from airline owners who raised objections saying that more rest given to pilots would affect the airlines' economic interests. The pilot body has asked a regulator to conduct an independent scientific study on the extent of rest needed by aircrew for safe travel.

"Only hard scientific evidence and data gathered through sophisticated computers can accurately assess the detrimental effects of pilot fatigue," said Captain Tauseef Mukadam, general secretary, IPG.

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