Helicopter operators threaten Char Dham service suspension over new pilot rules
Eleven operators plan to halt charter services from November 2 following new DGCA mandates for two-pilot flights.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has mandated that all Char Dham helicopter charter services must operate with two pilots starting November 2. This directive follows a helicopter crash in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Friday that killed all six people on board.
Under the new rules, the co-pilot must also be hill-qualified. Crews are required to obtain positive destination and enroute clearance from the Sahastradhara control room before every takeoff and must submit a Pilot Report (PIREP) after landing at each destination helipad.
In a letter dated October 31, eleven helicopter operators expressed their inability to accept the twin-pilot requirement in its current form. The companies, including Himalayan Heli Services and Indo Copters, proposed suspending Char Dham charter operations from November 2 until a mutually workable solution is reached.
The operators stated that deploying two pilots on every sortie would substantially increase operating costs, including crew requirements, accommodation, and logistical expenses. They argued that these additional costs cannot be reasonably absorbed or passed on to customers.
The collective, which includes companies such as Pilgrimage Aviation and United Helicharters, requested the DGCA and the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) to reconsider the requirement. They called for discussions to explore an alternative framework that ensures commercial viability.
The head of operations for UCADA has been directed to formulate modalities for providing clearances and maintaining records of all pilot reports.