DGCA mandates cabin crew presence in cockpit in case a pilot leaves it

While an initial probe into the Germanwings Airbus A320 crash reveals that the commander of the crashed plane was locked out of the cockpit, an air safety incident in 2010 led the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to make it mandatory for a cabin crew to remain in the cockpit in case of one of the two pilots left it.

The civil aviation regulator issued an air safety circular in 2010 after a co-pilot of an Air India Express Dubai-Pune flight was unable to control the aircraft during turbulence.

The aircraft nosedived while the commander of the plane was locked out of the aircraft.

However, the commander managed to enter the cockpit later using an emergency code to enter and salvaged the situation.

Following this incident the DGCA made it mandatory for cabin crew to remain present in the cockpit in case one of the pilots left it.

“In case one of the crew members has to leave the cockpit during the non-critical phases of flight, the cabin crew is required to be inside the cockpit and occupy the observer seat.

"In no case the cabin crew will occupy the seats meant for cockpit crew.

"It is to reiterate that in case one pilot leaves the flight deck, cabin crew shall be in the flight deck and will occupy one of the observer seats.

"The cabin crew in the flight deck will remain vigilant in case of subtle incapacitation of the flight deck crew or any other situation that requires assistance. . .

"The cabin crew shall remain in the flight deck till such time the flight deck crew member returns to the flight deck,” states the DGCA circular which was issued in June 2010.

“This rule is followed most of the time. But there could be an instance when cabin crew are busy in in-flight service or in short flights it might not be followed,” said a senior captain with a private airline.