The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has just issued a Circular amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations on aircraft and aircraft operations. The new regulations take effect from March 31, 2025.
Regular and surprise checks to prevent crew members from using stimulants
The notable point in the new Circular is the regulations related to the use of stimulants by flight crew members (including alcohol, beer, addictive substances, psychotropic substances, narcotics and precursors).
According to regulations, anyone who refuses to take a test to determine whether they are a psychoactive substance when requested by a competent authority may be denied a license or qualification (Illustration photo).
Any person who refuses to undergo a psychotropic substance test when requested by a competent authority, or refuses to provide or permit the release of test results when requested by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, may be denied a license, certificate, or rating (certification of professional competence of aviation personnel) for a period of up to one year from the date of such refusal.
The competent authority may also revoke or suspend a license, certificate, rating, diploma or permit.
The new circular also adds many regulations related to the alcohol concentration in the blood or breath of flight crew members.
Accordingly, aircraft operators must ensure that all crew members have no alcohol concentration in their blood or breath when performing flight missions over Vietnamese territory.
Aircraft operators must report to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam within 24 hours of discovering the use of stimulants. At the same time, they must develop procedures related to periodic and unscheduled inspections and monitoring to promptly detect and prevent the use of stimulants by flight crew members in the flight safety documentation system.
Under the new regulations, aircraft operators must use breath alcohol measurement equipment that meets the inspection standards according to Vietnam's technical measurement document 107:2012 of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Users of breath alcohol measuring devices must follow the correct procedures and regulations related to the use and preservation of breath alcohol measuring devices and devices according to the regulations of the manufacturer of the breath alcohol measuring device...
Violations of regulations can result in a one-year flight ban.
Flight crew members are not allowed to perform flight duties when there is alcohol concentration in the blood or breath or when using stimulants, except in cases where there is an indication or confirmation from a medical examiner specializing in neuropsychiatry that the use of stimulants does not affect the user's perception or behavior.
In particular, flight crew members have the right to refuse to perform duties with those who violate regulations and are responsible for reporting to the Aircraft Operator when they discover that a fellow flight crew member is using stimulants.
In the regulations on management of flight crew members using stimulants, in case a flight crew member uses or fails to comply with the regulations on testing for stimulants, he/she will not be allowed to perform flights to and from Vietnam within one year from the date of violation.
Foreign aircraft operators operating flights in Vietnam under a contract for leasing aircraft with crews with Vietnamese aircraft operators must comply with the regulations. Otherwise, foreign aircraft operators will not be allowed to operate flights in Vietnam within one year from the date of violation.
Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/phi-cong-tu-choi-kiem-tra-nong-do-con-co-the-bi-thu-hoi-giay-phep-bay-192250113135215648.htm
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