DGCA mulls year-round drug tests for pilots
The Ministry of Civil Aviation is considering a proposal to subject all commercial pilots to random psychoactive substance testing throughout the year, as part of efforts to strengthen aviation safety standards.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Tuesday that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is consulting airlines, pilot bodies and other stakeholders on possible changes to the existing drug-testing framework.
At present, regulations require random psychoactive substance tests to be conducted on 10% of pilots and air traffic controllers, among other aviation personnel, each year. The ministry is now examining whether testing should instead cover all commercial pilots through random checks conducted at different times during the year.
“There are multiple ways of approaching this dope test,” Naidu said while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi. He added that the DGCA was seeking the views of stakeholders before deciding on any changes to the current system.
The issue has gained renewed attention following an incident involving an Air India flight operating from Phuket to Delhi. The captain of the flight subsequently tested positive for marijuana after the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude during its journey.
India has more than 12,000 pilots working across commercial airlines, making the scope and frequency of any expanded testing programme a significant consideration for the aviation sector.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) had earlier called for tighter testing measures. On August 18, the pilots’ body asked the DGCA to consider oral-fluid testing as an additional screening method alongside the existing urine-based procedure. It also recommended raising the proportion of randomly tested pilots and other personnel from 10% to 25%.
Air India and Air India Express have separately introduced mandatory psychoactive substance testing for all their pilots following the Phuket-Delhi incident.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating the August 4 incident in accordance with Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which sets out international standards and procedures for aircraft accident and incident investigations.
The flight, AI2379, was operated by an Airbus A320 registered as VT-EXO. During the cruise phase, the aircraft suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude before stabilising. It later landed safely in Delhi.
The DGCA’s stakeholder consultations are expected to help determine whether India’s existing testing requirements should be expanded and whether a more comprehensive, year-round random testing system should be introduced for commercial pilots.
