“No crew members consume any drug/formulation or use any substance such as mouthwash/tooth gel or any such product which has alcoholic content. This may result in a positive breath analyser (BA) test. Any crew member who is undergoing such medication shall consult the company doctor before undertaking flying assignment,” the DCGA statement read.

The civil aviation regulator said several changes have been made to the CAR norms about the procedure for medical examination of aircraft personnel for alcohol consumption.

The DGCA has made camera recording of the breath analyser test mandatory for air operators engaged in seasonal pilgrimage operations and non-scheduled operators. 

“Camera recording of BA 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 the base station and in cases where they are away from the base station for more than two days and operate a flight from there,” the DGCA said.

The regulator has also made it mandatory to use fuel cell technology in the breath analyser equipment.

“The fuel cell sensors rely on an electrochemical process that oxidizes the alcohol in a breath sample and produces an electrical current that the breathalyzer measures to determine the breath’s blood alcohol content. The fuel cell does not respond to acetone which is found in the breath of a diabetic, dieter or highly exercised individual,” reported Hindustan Times quoting a DGCA official.

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

“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 test shall not be conducted and the same will not be considered as missed BA,” the revised rule stated.

“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,” the release said.

As per the DGCA norms, any crew members or pilots testing positive in the post-flight BA test for the first time will face suspension of license for a year, and action will be initiated as per rules, the Hindustan Times reported.

“If an expatriate pilot is caught in the same situation, then their Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorization (FATA) will be cancelled.” 

“If a crew tested positive in the post-flight BA test in one instance and missed the test in another or vice versa, will have to face suspension of license/approval for three years”, the report cited the aviation watchdog as saying.

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Updated: 01 Nov 2023, 10:31 PM IST