NEW DELHI: The ongoing one-time dope tests being conducted for all Air India group pilots beginning last Thursday has so far seen two non-negative results in screening tests out of the “300-400” cockpit crew members who have given their samples so far. Now confirmatory tests are being conducted for those two and they have been taken off flying duty pending the final report, say sources.AI and AI Express together have about 5,000 pilots. Following the pilot-in-command of AI’s badly rattled Aug 4 Phuket-Delhi flight testing positive in the confirmatory test, the group had decided to conduct the test as a one-time exercise on all its pilots.Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules stipulate that “in case the screening test (for psychoactive substances) is non-negative, the employee shall be immediately removed from the safety sensitive duty till a confirmatory report is received. In case of positive confirmatory test for the first time, the concerned employee shall be referred by the organisation” for de-addiction.DGCA rules stipulate that a pilot testing positive for consumption of psychoactive substances for the first time be referred to for de-addiction and rehabilitation. Such crew member can return for active duties with a negative dope test report.But after resuming flying if the same person tests positive for psychoactive substances again, their licence will be suspended for three years. And if after resuming flying the same person again tests positive for the third time, the flying licence is cancelled.But these rules may change soon as the aviation ministry has directed DGCA to at the earliest amend the existing dope testing requirements by increasing the percentage of personnel to be mandatorily tested. And also go in for stricter consequences for those testing positive after taking “real” drugs while giving second and third chances for those doing so after taking some medicines.
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Senior pilots say there is a serious problem with the DGCA’s civil aviation requirement (CAR or rules) on the subject titled “procedure for examination of the aviation personnel for consumption of psychoactive substances” as it treats crew members testing positive due to taking some medicines or being addicted to “real” drugs.“Airlines give their pilots a lists of medicines to avoid some hours before operating a flight. But it is humanely possible to mistakenly pop in a pill for allergy, sinus, some pain and then test positive. Such people need to be given second and third chances. But doing the same with some who is an addict or took recreational drugs is not done. There has to be serious deterrence,” said a senior pilot.
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