New Delhi: Air India has been granted a temporary extension of flight duty time for two-pilot Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes flying on European routes, which have become longer due to the closure of Pakistani airspace, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Friday. The civil aviation regulator said the extension was based on specific operational reasons linked to planes on European routes having to undertake longer flight paths following the shutdown of Pakistan's airspace.
Besides, expected changes in wind patterns during the winter season could also lead to an increase in the flight time to these destinations.
For two-pilot Boeing 787 operations, the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) has been extended to 10 hours and 30 minutes from 10 hours, and the Flight Duty Period (FDP) increased to 14 hours from 13 hours. The DGCA clarified that the extension of up to 30 minutes in flight time and up to one hour in FDP will apply only in cases where duty periods extend after departure and not during flight planning. (IANS)
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