Air India clears Boeing-787 fleet after fuel control switch checks
What's the story
Air India has completed the inspection of fuel control switches on all its Boeing 787 aircraft. The move comes after a pilot flagged a possible defect in one of the planes, leading to its grounding earlier this week. An Air India spokesperson confirmed that they are working with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to address these concerns as quickly as possible.
Regulatory communication
Matter communicated to DGCA
The spokesperson also confirmed that the matter has been communicated to India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This comes after a pilot reported a possible defect in the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft on Monday. The airline had grounded the aircraft and is now working with OEM for priority checks on these concerns.
Safety protocols
Safety is our top priority, says Air India
The Air India spokesperson stressed that passenger and crew safety is their top priority. Following the pilot's report, the airline inspected all Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet after a DGCA directive but found no issues. Currently, Air India has a total of 33 Boeing 787 aircraft—26 of the older B787-8 model and seven newer B787-9s.
Pilot concerns
FIP calls for probe into electrical faults in Boeing aircraft
After the incident, Captain CS Randhawa, President of the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), called on DGCA and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to probe possible electrical faults in Boeing 787 aircraft. He noted that this was the third such case involving uncommanded movement of fuel control switches on a Boeing 787 aircraft.