DGCA to allow pilots to take nap during long flights

NEW DELHI: The next time you hear snoring sound on the public announcement system of a long flight, don't be surprised. Pilots are soon going to be allowed to take a nap — at the wheels in the cockpit — for up to 40 minutes on long flights when the aircraft is cruising and not during ascending or descending phases.


The pilot and co-pilot will be allowed to sleep only one at a time and when one of them is napping, the cabin crew in charge will call up the awake pilot every 20 minutes (during night) and every half an hour (during day) to ensure that the other person also does not join the snoring. It will be allowed on at least three hour long flights.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA) is proposing to make this change based on best practices abroad, subject to strict conditions. Aviation regulators in US, Canada, Europe, UK, Hong Kong and many other developed countries allow this "controlled rest" as studies have shown that this to be a "another line of defence to manage fatigue risks. This practice was allowed after a Nasa study in 1992 showed a pilot was likely to be more alert if he or she takes a short nap during the non-critical phase of a flight.

"Controlled rest will be at the discretion of the captain and by only one flight crew at a time in the operating seat. (It will be allowed in cruise phase when) weather conditions are benign and weather-related deviation is not required," the draft civil aviation requirement issued by DGCA says. The commander can end the co-pilot's controlled sleet at any time as per flight requirement.

"The resting pilot shall keep his seat belt and harness fastened and move the seat aft to such a position that unintentional interference with controls is minimized... During controlled rest, the non-resting captain cannot leave his seat for any reason," the draft says. This rest will be allowed on long flights after the aircraft is at cruise altitude and will be terminated half an hour before descent begins.

Senior pilots welcome this move as they say this happens even now. "A few minutes' sleep is very freshening. This is still happening in cockpits when one pilot goes to sleep and the other remains alert. But at present, the sleep is not peaceful as pilots know this is something that is not allowed. The DGCA move to officially allow it in cruise phase is welcome," said a senior training captain.