DGCA proposes stricter norms to check alcohol use among pilots

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
• Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

“No crew member shall consume any drug/formulation or use any substance such as mouthwash/tooth gel/perfume or any such product which has alcoholic content. This may result into positive breath analyser test. Any crew member who is undergoing such medication shall consult the company doctor before undertaking flying assignment,” said the draft civil aviation requirement on the procedure for medical examination of aircraft personnel for alcohol consumption.

The regulator has noted that even when the blood alcohol levels are zero in the body, there could be some effect of hangover, which is mainly due to congeners. These congeners may take 15 to 18 hours to get dissipated and may produce ill effects for up to 36 hours depending upon the amount of alcohol consumed, the regulator stated.

The regulator has invited comments on the draft rules by 5 October.

In the case of all airlines operating scheduled, charter, non-scheduled flights originating from India, each flight crew member and cabin crew member shall be subject to a pre-flight breath-analyzer examination at the first departure airport during a flight duty period.

If a crew member operates a flight without undergoing the pre-flight breath-analyzer examination, the Chief of Operations of the concerned airline shall ensure that the involved crew member is off-rostered at the first point of landing and the same is reported to DGCA, the proposed norms stated.

Under the norms, the maintenance personnel shall also be subject to a breath-analyzer examination for alcohol consumption before undertaking any taxi operation of the aircraft, in addition to the flight crew.

In case of diversion of flights, due to unforeseen circumstances, to an airport or in case of grounded aircraft, where facility for pre-flight breath-analyzer examination is not available, the flight crew and cabin crew shall undergo post-flight breath-analyzer examination at first landing.

Airlines have also been proposed to make available at least two serviceable breath-analyzer equipment fuel cell technology based, capable of giving accurate digital value up to three decimal places with a memory to store and recall at least the last 1000 records.

For flying training institutions, the regulator has proposed that each instructor shall undergo pre-flight breath-analyzer examination before undertaking first flight of the day. In addition, at least 40% of student pilots shall be subjected to a pre-flight breath-analyzer examination for alcohol consumption and this percentage shall be on daily basis.

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Updated: 03 Oct 2023, 11:04 AM IST

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The article discusses the proposal by the aviation regulator to control alcohol use among pilots. This issue is connected to SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol

The article highlights the proposed ban on the use of items with alcoholic content, such as perfume, tooth gel, and mouthwash, to control alcohol use among pilots. This aligns with Target 3.5, which focuses on strengthening the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including harmful use of alcohol.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 3.5.1: Coverage of treatment interventions (pharmacological, psychosocial, and rehabilitation and aftercare services) for substance use disorders
• Indicator 3.5.2: Harmful use of alcohol, defined according to the national context as alcohol per capita consumption (aged 15 years and older) within a calendar year in liters of pure alcohol

The article does not explicitly mention any indicators. However, Indicator 3.5.1 can be used to measure the coverage of treatment interventions for substance use disorders, including alcohol abuse among pilots. Additionally, Indicator 3.5.2 can be used to measure the harmful use of alcohol, specifically in terms of alcohol per capita consumption within a calendar year.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: livemint.com

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