Dope test for all pilots annually? Deliberations between DGCA, stakeholders underway

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is mulling over conducting a 100 per cent dope test for all pilots annually. At present, deliberations are ongoing between the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and stakeholders.

The discussions entail the feasibility of the dope test for all pilots being checked once a year, as well as the impact of such dope tests on operations, India Today reported citing sources.

The development comes weeks after Air India flight AI2379, flying from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, lost around 300 feet of altitude after a hydraulic failure, injuring 17 people onboard. The pilot-in-command was later reported to have tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory test, according to media reports.

Air India has since ordered mandatory psychoactive-substance testing for its pilots, with several more pilots reportedly returning non-negative preliminary results.

Later, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) wrote to the DGCA, seeking consideration of oral-fluid drug testing for pilots as a complementary method to the existing urine-based testing system.

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In its letter, the FIP urged the aviation regulator to consider introducing “oral-fluid testing as a complementary testing methodology within the existing regulatory framework governing the examination of aviation personnel for consumption of psychoactive substances.”

While acknowledging that urine testing has an established regulatory and laboratory framework, the pilots’ body said the rapid expansion of India’s aviation sector warrants additional testing methods. According to the FIP, oral-fluid testing could help increase testing capacity, reduce operational disruptions and enable faster testing at airports and other operational locations.

The FIP also asked the DGCA to consider bringing in additional testing methodologies to strengthen the monitoring of psychoactive substance use among aviation personnel.