Kingfisher's international operations set to hit another air pocket

Kingfisher Airlines international plans are set to hit some more air pockets with the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) issuing a draft circular to all airlines, which seeks to increase flying experience requirements of the pilot and co-pilot from the current norm of 150 hours to 4000 hours.

The draft proposal, contained in the "Operations Circular No.4 of 2008" and issued by the DGCA on 17 June, outlines new rules for flying wide-body aircraft. So far, airlines like Jet Airways and Indian which fly internationally, have pilots and co-pilots with a minimum individual flying experience of 150 hours. This is in accordance with the international norm.

The relevant extract from the new draft circular says, a Pilot in Command, or PIC, will need a minimum of 5000 hours of flying time. This includes a minimum of 2000 hours on a jet and another 1500 hours as a co-pilot on a relevant wide body aircraft on international routes. As a note, it also clarifies that a co pilot will need atleast 4000 hours of flying, of which 2000 hours should be jet experience.

Implementation of this proposal will likely halt Kingfisher's international plans dead in its tracks. Launch of the airline's international operations is slated for August/September this year.

It is unlikely, however, that airlines will get co-pilots with the extent of experience that DGCA's latest circular would appear to seek. According to industry sources, pilots with 4000 hours of flying are not likely to revert to flying as co-pilots for in the age of extreme shortage of pilots they are likely to have already assumed command.

Industry sources indicate that Kingfisher Airlines may have written to the ministry of civil aviation regarding the issue.

Kingfisher has run into a host of problems trying to get its much awaited international operations on track. First, it was informed that it would have to get its merger with Air Deccan fully on board in order to be eligible for to operate on the low cost carrier's international license. Air Deccan becomes eligible to fly abroad in August after completing five years of domestic operations.

The next fly in the ointment for Kingfisher was when it was informed that it may have to delay operations atleast till September, as regulators did not have any slots to provide it at major airports, as these had already been booked by other carriers early on in the year. 

The new DGCA circular is only the latest in a series of hurdles.