DGCA cracks down on RAT without command, seeks detailed report from Boeing

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A serious safety incident occurred on an international Air India flight, prompting the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). On October 5th, just before landing, the emergency power unit, the RAM Air Turbine (RAT), of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight (AI-117) from Amritsar to Birmingham, deployed automatically without a command. Fortunately, the pilots acted wisely and landed the plane safely, preventing a major accident.

Following the incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) took the matter seriously and sought a detailed report from aircraft manufacturer Boeing. A senior DGCA official said, "Boeing has been directed to submit a complete investigation report, data on similar incidents involving Boeing 787 aircraft worldwide, and information on preventive measures being taken."

DGCA issues strict instructions to Air India

DGCA has also issued strict instructions to Air India. The airline has been asked to immediately check the RAT storage and the recently replaced Power Control Module (PCM) in all Boeing 787 aircraft. The official said that the incident occurred at an altitude of 400 feet on October 5 when the aircraft (VT-ANO) was about to land in Birmingham. However, the pilot did not report any unusual condition and the aircraft landed safely.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has raised serious concerns about the maintenance and safety standards of Air India's aircraft, particularly its Boeing 787 fleet. FIP President Captain CS Randhawa demanded that all Air India Boeing 787 aircraft be grounded with immediate effect and their electrical systems thoroughly inspected.

The pilots' union also expressed concern about Air India's termination of the government maintenance agency AIESL's contract and the hiring of new, less experienced engineers. Randhawa said the new engineers' lack of experience is causing aircraft maintenance problems, potentially compromising safety.

Two recent incidents raise concerns.

Strengthening its demands and expressing serious concerns about safety standards, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) cited two recent major incidents that occurred within a span of just four days. The first occurred on October 5th on an Amritsar-Birmingham flight (AI-117), where the aircraft's emergency ram air turbine (RAT) deployed mid-air without any command. Just four days later, on October 9th, a flight (AI-154) from Vienna to Delhi had to abort its flight and divert to Dubai due to a serious malfunction in the electrical and autopilot systems. According to the pilots' union, these incidents point to serious maintenance lapses at Air India, posing a significant threat to passenger safety.

Although Air India has denied any electrical malfunction on the AI-154 aircraft, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the matter thoroughly to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.