AI makes psychometric tests must for pilots
National carrier Air India has made psychometric tests mandatory for the recruitment of trainee pilots ( commercial pilot licence holders), the government has informed Parliament. But it is unclear whether the move has been taken before or after the Germanwings crash incident in Europe recently wherein the copilot of that aircraft is believed to have crashed the plane deliberately.
“Air India has made psychometric tests mandatory for the recruitment of trainee pilots ( commercial pilot licence holders). However, candidates recruited as cabin crew are not subjected to any psychometric test. The recruitment test for the post of trainee cabin crew was conducted by Indian Institute of Psychometry on January 11, 2015 in Delhi and Chennai... No change in the medical standards of pilots is pro- posed as they are in line with ICAO requirements. However, many airlines are carrying out psychometric test of pilots at the time of induction,” the government informed Parliament.
Meanwhile, news agency PTI reported on Tuesday that Air India has terminated the services of one of its cabin crew members for allegedly delaying its flights from Jeddah for several months by “refusing” to fly citing “inadequate” rest. “It has been decided by the competent authority to terminate your services... accordingly your services stand terminated with immediate effect,” an order issued by the AI general manager for in- flight services was quoted as stating.
Air India has paid one month’s salary as per the employment contract to the sacked cabin crew in lieu of the one- month notice period, the termination order said, according to the news agency report. “The sacked cabin crew was a habitual offender and a number of flights had been delayed because of him. In the last 2- 3 months alone, more than 10 flights were delayed because of his late arrival or no arrival,” a senior Air India official was quoted as saying.
● ‘ Many airlines are carrying out psychometric test of pilots at the time of induction’