An Indigo pilot had passed away in Nagpur last month

Mumbai and Delhi airports are 2 of the 4 airports involved in the trial

Pilots can volunteer for being involved in the study

Air Indigo has decided to enhance its fatigue testing system for pilots by monitoring their body’s vitals through a smartwatch. It would first be carried out through initiating a trial phase of monitoring if pilots volunteer for the same. 

An Indigo pilot had collapsed and passed away in Nagpur owing to a cardiac arrest in August 2023. 

A consultant would also be roped in for this project as the remedial measures would depend on an individual’s health history and a universal solution cannot be administered to all pilots. This would also be used to allocate and s[pace out duty hours to the pilot based on the responses recorded. Drowsiness would be one parameter that would be tested using the device. 4 airports including the ones in Delhi and Mumbai have been picked for this trial as flight patterns are also being taken into consideration for the trial. On-ground monitoring would also take place. 

  “IndiGo will test Thales’ fatigue management tool to assess pilot alertness levels over the next few months. Once completed, we will collectively evaluate the efficacy and accuracy of the data,” said Ashim Mittra, head of Indigo Operations mentioned in an internal memo, as per a report in the Reuters. 

“The trial does not replace the airline’s existing fatigue risk management process. Pilots must continue to report fatigue brd on self-assessment,” the memo stated.