The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed all Indian carriers to immediately stop using an old machine used for conducting breath analyzer tests on crew members before operating flights. In a recent missive to airlines, DGCA chief Bharat Bhushan has asked airlines to switch over to alco-sensor-IV system in place of the earlier version alco sensor-III.
"It has been observed that sample collection with alco sensor-III is subject to doctor's judgment due to which the equipment may not detect alcohol positive cases at times... All scheduled airlines are directed to discontinue the use of alco sensor-III with immediate effect... It has further been decided that calibration of alco sensor-IV or equivalent equipment shall be carried out by government agency or organizations approved by government agencies," the DGCA missive sent to all airlines recently said.
The decision to discontinue with the old machine was taken after the regulator discovered that it would pass any person who would simply not exhale into it by holding breath and thus would be given a clean chit. The new machine, on the other hand, has a system which would tell the doctor whether a crew member has blown into it or not and he or she would be pronounced sober only after that. Not blowing would not help them escape this test.
The new testing mechanism was decided after aviation authorities made the punishment for attempted drunken flying stringent by suspending licence for the first time offender and then suspending it for five years if the person is caught for the second time. A suspension for five years effectively means that the licence goes forever as all recencies expire.
Earlier, airlines would simply ground drunken crew members for a month or two each time they failed the breath test. This had no bearing on their flying licences. But now the fear of losing licence coupled with stricter checks is expected to make the skies a more sober and safer place to fly in.
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