When to take naps in cockpits? DGCA asks airlines to sensitise pilots

Civil aviation regulator's move follows two recent instances of aircrafts losing radio contact

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) wants airlines to sensitise their crew on napping in cockpit.

The civil aviation regulator's move follows two recent instances of Air India and Jet Airways aircraft losing radio contact over Europe. In both instances Air Force jets escorted the London bound passenger planes.

"The standard operating procedures are already in place and we are asking the airlines to sensitise the pilots," said Director General of Civil Aviation B S Bhullar.

"We are awaiting the full investigation reports and I can not comment on whether both the pilots were found to be asleep in the two instances," Bhullar said.

The Boeing 777 and 787 type aircraft flown by Air India and Jet Airways have a pilot response warning systems and aural and visual message is flashed if no switch in cockpit is pressed for over 20 minutes, said a senior pilot. An analysis of digital flight data recorder will reveal whether warning messages were issued.

A Times of India report on Thursday said that DGCA  has taken a very serious view of the incidents and directed a review of the existing procedures. It will consider new ways to ensure that at least one pilot in the cockpit is fully conscious at all times and responds to calls from Air Traffic Control (ATC), the report said. The civil aviation regulator has called a meeting of airlines to discuss the issue on Friday.

The DGCA allows pilots to take a nap in the cockpit and in 2013 laid down do's and don'ts on it.

The DGCA states that controlled rest is an effective fatigue mitigation tool for flight crews and is a way of managing unavoidable excessive tiredness in-flight. This involves the use of short sleep periods (naps) by one pilot, during low workload phase of the cruise segment, whilst seated at the controls of the aircraft, and the other pilot performing duties.  

"During controlled rest, the non-resting pilot shall keep his seat belt and harness fastened; wear a headset with the cockpit audio speaker adjusted to normal volume," the DGCA said in its operations circular.

"Pilots are trained and qualified  enough to know communication protocols and they should not be nonchalant. Whilst flying in European airspace, all operating crew must be constantly alert and aware that they are being watched and tracked by atleast five air defense radars including NATO," said aviation consultant Mark Martin.

"The recent incidents of pilots forgetting to contract route radars certainly is common, but by no way should be considered trivial in light of safety," he added.