Air India inspection claims no problems found with Boeing 787 fuel control switches

Air India, the Tata Group-owned airline, has completed precautionary assessments of the fuel control switches on all its Boeing 787-8 aircraft, confirming that no issues were detected. This action was taken in response to a directive from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued on Monday, which mandated an inspection by 21 July.

This directive stemmed from concerns raised by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AIIB), following a tragic incident involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad. The AIIB report indicated that both engines' fuel cutoff switches were manipulated to the 'cutoff' position sequentially within a one-second timeframe, shortly after takeoff, resulting in the loss of 260 lives.

An Air India representative stated, "All our Boeing 787-8 aircraft have undergone throttle control module replacements according to Boeing's maintenance schedule. The fuel control switch is part of this module." Over the preceding weekend, Air India's engineering team initiated precautionary checks on the locking mechanism of the fuel control switches across the entire fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft, and these inspections have now concluded without any findings of concern, the official confirmed.

This internal communication was relayed to Air India pilots by the flight operations team. Earlier this year, nearly the entire fleet of Boeing 737 Max aircraft operated by Air India Express underwent similar inspections, again revealing no issues.

The DGCA’s directive advocates adherence to a bulletin released by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in December 2018, which cautioned about potential disengagement risks of the fuel control switch locking system. It is important to note that the design of the fuel control switch—including its locking system—is comparable across various Boeing aircraft models, including the component fitted in the ill-fated Boeing 787-8 in Ahmedabad.

The AIIB report pointed out that Air India had not implemented the inspections recommended in the 2018 FAA bulletin, as it was deemed 'non-mandatory'. This was highlighted in the chronology provided by the AIIB, showing that both fuel cutoff switches transitioned from 'run' to 'cutoff' within one second of each other, virtually right after takeoff. Meanwhile, the ram air turbine (RAT) pump was deployed to provide hydraulic power as both engines dropped below acceptable idle levels.

The interval from takeoff to the subsequent crash was recorded at 32 seconds, marking a catastrophic event in aviation history.

Air India continues to prioritise safety across its operations, and the completion of these inspections reinforces its commitment to maintaining high standards of aircraft integrity.

Future communications from the regulatory authorities will likely shape further inspection protocols and compliance measures within the airline industry, particularly concerning safety mechanisms in aircraft design and operation.

As the aviation community remains vigilant, the emphasis on strict adherence to safety guidelines is paramount to averting similar tragedies in the future.