New Delhi: Following several stories of shocking behavior of pilots on duty, an alarmed aviation regulator is planning to make it mandatory for airlines to have cameras in cockpits.
In the most recent violation, Air India pilots allegedly allowed airhostesses to be in their seats and get a crash course on how to fly a plane during a Bangkok-Delhi flight. In another shocker, an Air India plane landed in Mumbai without ATC clearance.
DGCA officials anticipate opposition from both pilot and airline lobbies to the plan. Airlines will oppose it on the ground that it will mean extra expense for them — both in terms of purchasing equipment and then the recurring cost of downloading the content and maintaining records. Pilots would oppose it as they would be constantly under electronic watch.
06/05/13 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
