Private Jets Seek Global Pilot Duty Limits With DGCA

10 Jul 2026 CW Team

Under current DGCA rules, private jet crew members are permitted a maximum of eight hours of total flying time per day and must take 10 consecutive hours of rest within each 24-hour period, while a maximum of two consecutive night duties and two night landings are allowed per week. Officials also discussed extending Diversion Time Operations for flights from the existing 90 minutes to 120 minutes, which would affect how far aircraft may be from an alternate aerodrome. The measure was raised as part of efforts to accommodate longer sector operations by business aircraft.

Group Captain R K Bali, managing director of BAOA, told regulators that India has around 500 business aircraft and that high net worth individuals are increasingly using them, creating substantial scope for growth. He urged rationalisation of FDTL norms and alignment with international practice, while insisting that adequate safety safeguards remain paramount. The regulator has constituted a committee to examine the proposals and has met BAOA representatives to outline requirements.

A senior aviation official indicated that there is significant potential for helicopters and other private aircraft across the country but identified an acute shortage of trained pilots as the main constraint. The official noted that most helicopters are operated by former or retired defence personnel and called for an urgent programme to train pilots on smaller aircraft to tap the sector's potential. The official added that the country could require up to 3,000 helicopters in the future.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has held a review meeting with the Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA), which represents 115 private and non-scheduled operators, after the BAOA requested separate flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules for business aircraft crews aligned with global standards. The association argued that existing norms are designed primarily for commercial airlines and do not reflect the operational profile of business aviation. The regulator has begun examining proposals intended to better suit private jet operations. Under current DGCA rules, private jet crew members are permitted a maximum of eight hours of total flying time per day and must take 10 consecutive hours of rest within each 24-hour period, while a maximum of two consecutive night duties and two night landings are allowed per week. Officials also discussed extending Diversion Time Operations for flights from the existing 90 minutes to 120 minutes, which would affect how far aircraft may be from an alternate aerodrome. The measure was raised as part of efforts to accommodate longer sector operations by business aircraft. Group Captain R K Bali, managing director of BAOA, told regulators that India has around 500 business aircraft and that high net worth individuals are increasingly using them, creating substantial scope for growth. He urged rationalisation of FDTL norms and alignment with international practice, while insisting that adequate safety safeguards remain paramount. The regulator has constituted a committee to examine the proposals and has met BAOA representatives to outline requirements. A senior aviation official indicated that there is significant potential for helicopters and other private aircraft across the country but identified an acute shortage of trained pilots as the main constraint. The official noted that most helicopters are operated by former or retired defence personnel and called for an urgent programme to train pilots on smaller aircraft to tap the sector's potential. The official added that the country could require up to 3,000 helicopters in the future.

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