Pilots and crew members are now prohibited from using mouthwash, tooth gel, or any other substance containing alcohol, as it could lead to a positive breath analyzer test, according to new regulations issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation regulator. The DGCA has made several revisions to the norms regarding the procedure for medical examination of aircraft personnel for alcohol consumption. The objective of these changes is to enhance the safety of aircraft operations and streamline provisions of existing regulations based on feedback from industry and stakeholders.
The revised Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) state that no crew member should consume any drug or substance with alcoholic content, including mouthwash or tooth gel. If a crew member is undergoing medication that falls into this category, they must consult the company doctor before undertaking any flying assignments. The use of perfume with alcoholic content, however, is not mentioned in the final CAR.
To avoid missing breath analyzer cases, the new regulations require operating crew members traveling as passengers to undergo a breath analyzer test at the boarding station when transferring for an operating flight. Additionally, operators engaged in seasonal pilgrimage operations and non-scheduled operators must have mandatory camera recording of breath analyzer testing. State governments are responsible for ensuring compliance with this requirement at base stations and when operating flights away from the base station for more than two days.
If a crew member or student pilot feels unable to safely perform their flying duties due to sickness upon reaching the airport, they must inform their company. In such cases, the breath analyzer test will not be conducted, and it will not be considered a missed test. However, the crew member or student pilot will not be rostered for flying duties that day and will only be assigned after review by the company doctor.
The DGCA has also expanded the facilities for undergoing the breath analyzer examination to accommodate operators in general aviation. According to the regulations, all scheduled flight crew members and cabin crew members must undergo pre-flight breath analyzer examinations at the first departure airport during a flight duty period. For scheduled flights originating from outside India, post-flight breath analyzer examinations must be carried out for each flight crew and cabin crew at the first port of landing in India.
Stringent punishments are in place for crew members who test positive in breath analyzer tests, depending on whether it is a repeated offense. These punishments apply to both pre and post-flight tests.
The DGCA’s revised regulations aim to ensure the safety and well-being of aircraft personnel and passengers by preventing the consumption of substances with alcoholic content that could impair crew members’ ability to perform their duties effectively.
