Camera recording of breath-analyzer testing has been made compulsory for the aircraft operators engaged in seasonal pilgrimage operations and non-scheduled operators, aviation regulator Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) informed on Wednesday.

According to DGCA chief Vikram Dev Dutt, the aviation regulator revised the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on procedure for medical examination of aircraft personnel for alcohol consumption with the objective of enhancing the safety of aircraft operations coupled with streamlining provisions of the existing regulations in line with feedback from industry and stakeholders from time to time for more effective implementation.

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Mentioning the modifications, Dutt said, “Camera recording of breath-analyzer testing has been made mandatory for the operators engaged in seasonal pilgrimage operations and non-scheduled operators and State Governments shall also ensure the compliance of this requirement at the base station and in cases where they are away from the base station for more than two days and operate a flight from there.”

He said if any crew member/student pilot after reaching the airport feels that he/she is unable to discharge his flying duties safely due to sickness, the crew member will intimate his company and in such case the breath-analyzer (BA) test shall not be conducted and same will not be considered as missed BA.

However, the crew member/student pilot shall not be rostered for flying duties on that day and subsequently shall be rostered for flying duties after review by the company doctor.

“Breath analyzer equipment with fuel cell technology has been made mandatory and a procedure for oversight and surveillance of calibration agencies has been introduced,” Dutt said.

The DGCA chief further said to prevent missed breath-analyzer cases, a provision has been introduced wherein the operating crew travelling as passengers shall undergo a breath-analyzer test at the boarding station in case of ramp-to-ramp transfer for operating flight.

“To facilitate the operators especially in General Aviation, the scope of facilities for undergoing the breath-analyzer examination has been enhanced,” Dutt said.