FIP seeks comprehensive DGCA inspection of Boeing 787's electric systems

The president of FIP, said that the incident in which an Air India flight from Amritsar to Birmingham had its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed during its final approach should be investigated properly

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has written to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) seeking a comprehensive investigation of the electric systems of all Boeing 787 aircraft currently operating in India.

The president of FIP, Captain CS Randhawa said on Monday that the incident in which an Air India flight from Amritsar to Birmingham had its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed during its final approach should be investigated properly. RAT is only deployed after "total failure of all three hydraulic systems", said the FIP president.

"We have written an email to Manish Kumar, who is in charge of air safety in DGCA, and we have marked the copies to DG DGCA, DG AAIB and the Secretary of Civil Aviation. The incident occurred on the 4th of October on a Boeing 787 aircraft. Registration was Victor Tango Alpha November Oscar (VT-ANO)", Captain CS Randhawa told ANI.

He said that the Birmingham-bound flight had everything "running properly", despite that, RAT was deployed while the aircraft was just 500 feet in the air, a thing he has never seen happen in over 5 decades of aviation experience.

"The aircraft has been grounded by Air India for further investigations. Now I would just like to put one point across that the Ram Air Turbine mainly deploys when there is a total failure of all three hydraulic systems, total electrical system failure or both engine failures, and there are some other things which can deploy it. This can be deployed only when the aircraft is in the air, not on the ground", he said.

Expressing surprise over the incident, he added, "To date, I have never heard of a RAT getting deployed on any aircraft where everything is normal. This is the first time I'm hearing in my 50 years of aviation experience. Now, this incident should be taken very seriously."

Captain Randhawa further speculated over the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad in June this year. He said that he is "quite convinced" that the crash which killed 260 people, including 241 people on the aircraft, and left only 1 survivor, happened due to "electric failures". He however reiterated that the truth will be known only after the report comes out, probably in December, according to him.

"We are quite convinced that it could be an electrical problem that has led to the crash of 171. Ultimately, when the report comes, we will come to know. And I have heard that maybe by end of December, the AAIB will come out with the report. We have been requesting that the electrical systems of all Boeing 787s flying in the country be tested", he said.

Air India flight AI117, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, landed safely in Birmingham a day earlier after the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) was deployed during its final approach. The flight took off from Amritsar on October 4.

According to an Air India spokesperson, the flight landed safely at Birmingham, and no passengers or crew were injured. The aircraft has been grounded for further inspections.

The aircraft has been grounded for further checks, and the return flight AI114 from Birmingham to Delhi has been cancelled. Air India is making alternative arrangements to accommodate passengers affected by the incident.