India, Nov. 1 -- A day after a helicopter crash in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday directed operators conducting Char Dham helicopter charter services to fly with two pilots from November 2 and obtain prior destination and enroute clearances for every flight sector.

The directions however, have prompted operators to threaten a suspension of services from Monday, stating financial implications of the new requirements.

Following an urgent meeting with helicopter operators on Saturday, the regulator issued written instructions, seen by HT, and mandated a two-pilot configuration for all Char Dham charter flights, with the co-pilot also required to be hill-qualified.

The DGCA has ...