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Govt Mulls Drug Tests for All Commercial Pilots
The DGCA is weighing annual random dope tests for every pilot after an Air India flight’s 300-foot drop injured 24 people, officials said.
On Tuesday, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu proposed mandatory random drug testing for all commercial pilots annually, expanding coverage to 100% to enhance aviation safety.
This proposal follows an August 4 Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi that dropped 300 feet, injuring 24 people, after which the pilot-in-command tested positive for marijuana.
Currently, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation mandates random testing for only 10% of pilots annually, a system the Ministry proposes to expand to 100% coverage.
Consultations with stakeholders are underway to balance safety with operational impacts, as the Federation of Indian Pilots previously urged expanding annual testing to 25%.
Meanwhile, the Air India group has initiated mandatory one-time testing for all 5,000 of its pilots, while the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau continues investigating the incident.