DCGA issues new guidelines for co-pilots to acquire vital experience

The latest Aeronautical Information Circular (Sl. No. 9/2007) issued on Thursday, sixth December by DGCA comes at a time when many a co-pilots in the industry are hard pressed to acquire critical flying experience.
The AIC that supersedes AIC 7 of 2001 is intended to help co-pilots to acquire vital experience in handling the aircraft during critical phases of landing and take off.
The AIC says the Pilot-in-Command who is solely vested with the responsibility of the safety of aircraft and passengers therein, may, authorise a Co-pilot of his flight to effect landing and take-off and route flying, under his direct supervision.

DGCA elaborates this supervision in 16 procedures. Here is the first five of them:

• The Pilot-in-Command who authorises such operation by Co-pilot shall be either, a DGCA approved Check Pilot/Instructor/Examiner or a pilot with a minimum of 1000 hours Pilot-in-Command experience including 500 hours on type who has an accident and incident free record in the preceding three years. The operator should make a selection of such pilots to assess their suitability for giving supervised take offs and landings.
• Operators shall maintain up-to-date list of Pilots and Co-pilots who are authorised to give and receive supervised take-off and landing under intimation to DGCA.
• The pilot who authorises such flight shall have at least 10 hours as Pilot-in- Command experience on type during the preceding 30 days.
• Examiners and Instructors may authorise a Co-pilot having a minimum of 50 hours flying experience as Co-pilot on type, to effect landing and take off under their supervision. However, an Examiner/Instructor while carrying out the Route Check of a Co-pilot having less than 50 hours experience may permit the Co-pilot to effect take off and landing required for the purpose of the check subject to fulfilling the conditions laid down in this Circular.
• Pilots, other than the Examiners and Instructors who are authorised to give supervised take off and landing to Co-pilots mentioned in Para (1) above, may authorise Co-pilots having a minimum of 50 hours and 20 landings (both inclusive) experience on type to carry out supervised take off and landing under their supervision. The Co-Pilot experience shall be counted after the Co-Pilot has undergone First Officer final release check in accordance with Operations Circular 4 of 2007.

All of the 16 procedures and the circular in full can be downloaded from here or here.