Most Indian airlines recorded a rise in average flying hours per pilot after the Covid period.
IndiGo's recent major flight disruptions stem from India's new Flight Duty Time Limitation rules, designed to combat pilot fatigue by increasing mandatory rest and capping night operations.
The 2024 Safety Culture Survey reveals high fatigue among Indian pilots (83 per cent), driven by rapid sector growth, consecutive night flights, and increased workload despite more pilots and aircraft.
The average flying hours per pilot in India fell from 407 hours in 2015 to 165 hours in 2020. However, it rebounded to 246 hours in 2024.
Exhaustion due to changing flight times
According to the Safety Culture Survey 2024, 74 per cent of pilots agreed that frequent roster changes contribute to fatigue. Besides, 19.4 per cent reported a significant influence.
Fatigue risk due to frequent reassignments
The survey highlighted the impact of frequent tail swaps -- when airlines switch the assigned aircraft.
Almost 63.8 per cent agreed that this deeply influences fatigue, and 9.2 per cent cited a moderate influence.
Stagnant pilot-to-aircraft ratio
India's pilot strength rose from 3,973 in 2015 to 11,775 in 2024. Yet, the ratio remained steady, in the range of 13.8 to 14.5 during the period.
Rise in average flying hours per pilot
Most Indian airlines recorded a rise in average flying hours per pilot after the Covid period, though 2024 (till November) saw a slight year-on-year decline.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff
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