Govt mulls drug tests for all commercial pilots

The civil aviation ministry is considering random year-round psychoactive substance testing for all commercial pilots. Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said DGCA is consulting stakeholders to strengthen existing drug-testing rules, following renewed scrutiny after an Air India pilot tested positive for marijuana

New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry is looking at the possibility of carrying out psychoactive substance tests for all commercial pilots round the year on a random basis.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is holding discussions with stakeholders on further strengthening the drug-testing standards of pilots.

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“Right now, the rules say 10 per cent (drug tests) across the overall pilot network, but just like I said, DGCA is engaging (with stakeholders)… One of the opinions from our side is that everyone has to go through it (drug tests) the (whole) year at a random time.

“So, we have to see how all the stakeholders are going to respond to this,” the minister said.

The issue of possible substance use by pilots has come to the spotlight after an Air India captain of Phuket-Delhi flight involved in a sudden altitude loss incident was tested positive for marijuana.

Currently, drug tests for pilots are done on a random basis.

Naidu on Tuesday said that the regulator DGCA is currently consulting stakeholders to review existing rules and establish a stricter policy for the future.

“There are multiple ways of approaching this dope test (thing),” the minister said.

He was responding to queries related to psychoactive substance testing for pilots on the sidelines of an event in the national capital.

Meanwhile, Air India and Air India Express have also started mandatory psychoactive substance testing of all their pilots.