'2 pilots mandatory': DGCA tightens Char Dham helicopter norms after Uttarakhand crash; operators threaten shutdown

A day after a helicopter crash in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday directed operators conducting Char Dham helicopter charter services to fly with two pilots from November 2 and obtain prior destination and enroute clearances for every flight sector.

The directions however, have prompted operators to threaten a suspension of services from Monday, stating financial implications of the new requirements.

Following an urgent meeting with helicopter operators on Saturday, the regulator issued written instructions, seen by HT, and mandated a two-pilot configuration for all Char Dham charter flights, with the co-pilot also required to be hill-qualified.

The DGCA has also directed that crews obtain positive destination and enroute clearance from the control room at Sahastradhara before taking off for each sector. As per the instructions issued on Saturday, they will also have to submit a Pilot Report (PIREP) to the control room after landing at every destination helipad.

The directions further require the head of operations of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) to formulate the modalities for providing clearances before each take-off and for receiving, reviewing and maintaining records of all pilot reports.

After receiving these mandates to come into effect from Monday, the helicopter operators, in a letter dated October 31 addressed to the DGCA, helicopter operators collectively objected to the mandatory two-pilot requirement and said they were proposing to suspend Char Dham charter operations from November 2 until the matter was reviewed and a mutually workable solution was reached.

“After due consideration and mutual consultation, all operators collectively express their inability to accept the mandatory twin-pilot requirement in its present form,” the letter said.

“We wish to formally convey that all participating operators are proposing to suspend their Char Dham charter operations with effect from 02 November 2026, until the matter is reviewed and a mutually workable solution is arrived at by the concerned authorities in consultation with the operators,” the letter said.

The operators said deploying two pilots on every charter sortie would substantially increase operating costs, crew requirements, accommodation and logistical expenses.

“Given the existing commercial structure, prevailing charter rates and limited operational margins, these additional costs cannot be reasonably absorbed by the operators. Nor is it commercially feasible to pass on the entire additional burden to customers,” they said.

The operators also objected to the introduction of the requirement without adequate consultation with them or an assessment of its commercial and operational implications.

“While we fully acknowledge and appreciate the regulatory authorities' responsibility towards maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety, we believe that the introduction of mandatory twin-pilot operations, without adequate consultation with the operators and assessment of its commercial and operational implications, will make the continuation of operations financially unviable for all operators,” the letter said.

They said they had consistently complied with applicable DGCA regulations and invested resources in maintaining safe and reliable operations in the Himalayan terrain.

The operators said any additional safety measures should be “practical, proportionate, commercially sustainable and developed in consultation with the operating stakeholders”.

The operators, in the letter marked to the civil aviation secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and secretary UCADA Vinay Shankar Pandey, also requested the DGCA and UCADA to reconsider the requirement and hold urgent discussions with operators to explore an alternative framework that addresses safety concerns while ensuring the commercial viability of helicopter services in Uttarakhand.