The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the electrical systems on all Boeing 787 aircraft operating in India. The pilots’ body raised safety concerns, calling for a fleet-wide probe to prevent any potential recurrence after the uncommanded deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) on an Air India Boeing 787-8 flight on Saturday.
Pilots Urge DGCA To Inspect Electrical Systems Of All Boeing 787s
According to NDTV, on Sunday, the FIP wrote to DGCA to thoroughly check and investigate the electrical system of all Boeing 787 aircraft in the country. Furthermore, they asked for a probe into the incident of RAT deployment on Air India B787-8 aircraft during the Amritsar- Birmingham flight on October 4.
FIP, which reportedly represents over 5000 cockpit crew members, wrote in the letter, “There have been numerous incidents on B-787 aircraft. We have strongly taken up with the Civil Aviation Ministry and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to thoroughly check the electrical system of all B-787 aircraft in the country.”
Further into the letter, FIP also mentioned the June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI 171. The Boeing 787 aircraft crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad and was en route to London Gatwick. The incident claimed 260 lives.
What Happened On Air India Amritsar-Birmingham Flight?
On Saturday, October 4, an Air India Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aircraft operating from Amritsar to Birmingham was grounded in the UK. This happened because the aircraft’s emergency turbine, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), deployed mid-descent. The incident occurred on flight AI117, which was on its final approach to Birmingham.
According to the airline, the operating crew reported that the Boeing 787’s RAT unexpectedly deployed, without command, during the final approach, though the aircraft landed safely. RAT is usually used in case of engine failures, and its uncommanded deployment has raised concerns.
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More details on this are awaited.
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