Char Dham Helicopter Services May Halt From November 2 As Operators Oppose DGCA Two-Pilot Rule

News india Char Dham Helicopter Services May Halt From November 2 As Operators Oppose DGCA Two-Pilot Rule

Last Updated:November 01, 2026, 22:46 IST

Char Dham helicopter operators have proposed suspending services from November 2, opposing the DGCA’s mandatory two-pilot rule introduced after the October 30 crash that killed 6.

Char Dham helicopter operators have proposed suspending their services from November 2 after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) made two pilots mandatory for every charter helicopter flight in the sector.

The decision came after a helicopter crash in Uttarakhand on October 30 killed all six people on board, including the pilot. The aircraft, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, was returning from Badrinath to Dehradun when it crashed near Joshimath in Chamoli district.

The DGCA has directed that all Char Dham charter flights operate with two pilots from November 2. The co-pilot must also be qualified to fly in hilly terrain. Operators have also been asked to obtain destination and en-route clearance from the Sahastradhara control room before each flight and submit a Pilot Report after landing at every destination helipad.

In a collective letter dated October 31, helicopter operators told DGCA chief Vir Vikram Yadav that they had “serious concerns and reservations" about the mandatory twin-pilot requirement.

“The mandatory deployment of two pilots on every charter sortie will substantially increase operating costs, crew requirements, accommodation and logistical expenses, and overall operational commitments," the operators said.

They argued that the additional costs could not be absorbed under existing charter rates and margins, while passing the entire burden on to passengers would also not be commercially feasible.

The operators said they supported aviation safety but wanted any additional measures to be “practical, proportionate, commercially sustainable and developed in consultation with the operating stakeholders".

They further said, “All participating operators are proposing to suspend their Char Dham charter operations with effect from 02 November 2026, until the matter is reviewed and a mutually workable solution is arrived at by the concerned authorities in consultation with the operators."

The operators have urged the DGCA and the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) to reconsider the mandate and hold urgent consultations before its implementation.

They warned that continuing under the proposed framework would create “unsustainable financial and operational commitments" and leave operators with no commercially viable alternative.

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Anushka Vats

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