DGCA reviewing medical examination evaluations for pilots

The aviation regulator has constituted a committee with all stakeholders as members for review of various laboratory tests or other evaluations required for the conduct of DGCA Medical Examination after airlines and pilots flagged concerns over the aviation regulator new medical tests rules.

The aviation regulator is also coming up with a notice for removal of requirement of DGCA medical assessment for every medical examination conducted for the pilots.

Earlier, the DGCA had said that all medical examination has to be conducted at the IAF Boarding Centres, which invited concerns on how it will impact the availability of operational pilots.

"Not every medical examination and laboratory investigations are mandated for the conduct at IAF Boarding Centres. It lists three categories – age-related medical examinations, those taking appointments, mandated in the last medical assessment," the regulator said, clarifying the earlier directive.

It further said that there are instances where pilot are aware of their illness/clinical condition which may require concerned specialist/super specialist opinion and in such cases, to reduce the time taken for completion of Medical Examination at the centre, the aspirants/pilots can carry opinion of concerned specialist/super specialist to avoid re-referals by the IAF Boarding Centres.

"All other can be conducted at the Medical Examiner, DGCA Empanelled Private Centres and IAF Renewal Centres," it added.

DGCA is also in the process of empanelment of more DGCA aeromedical evaluation centres distributed evenly throughout the country covering all geographical locations of high demand for conduct of all type of DGCA Medical Examination, which will further ease out the process of conduct of Medical Examination and all it will decongest IAF Boarding Centres.

“This will significantly decrease the dependency on IAF Boarding Centres and also the number of pilot being referred to the IAF Boarding Centres will be drastically reduced,” it further said.

The DGCA order issued on July 2 said that “all the required investigations for medical examinations at IAF Boarding Centres will be conducted at IAF Boarding Centres only. The additional investigations, which are not available at IAF Boarding Centres, are to be conducted at NABH/NABL/ISO accredited Laboratories and the original investigations bearing QR code along with ID verification shall be produced at IAF Boarding Centres by the applicants.”