DGCA may issue notices to GoAir’s 100 pilots and management for flight duty time violations

NEW DELHI: In its biggest ever move to discourage airlines from over-working their pilots and making fatigued cockpit crew fly planes — thereby compromising air safety — the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is likely to issue “mass notices” to GoAir over alleged violations on this count. The regulator, say highly placed sources, is in the process of issuing show cause notices to over 100 pilots and management of this low cost carrier (LCC).
After probing the airline’s rostering software, the DGCA has found two main types of violations — making pilots fly for more than the allowed 1,000 hours in a year and not following the mandatory no more than two consecutive night flights in a row.
While a GoAir spokesman said the airline is yet to receive any showcause notice from the DGCA over flight and duty time limitations (FDTL) issue, he added the LCC follows all norms. “As part of the oversight process, DGCA conducts audits for all operators.