Air India Boeing 787 Safety Alert: FIP Urges Immediate Grounding After Mid-Air Failures

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), which represents approximately 5,000 pilots including Air India crew members, has called on the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation to immediately ground all Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliners for comprehensive safety inspections. This demand comes after two serious mid-air technical malfunctions on Air India 787s within the past week, raising concerns about the aircraft's electrical systems.

On October 4, Air India flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham experienced an unexpected deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) at around 400 feet during landing. The RAT, an emergency backup power system, is typically triggered during major engine or electrical failures. The crew managed a safe landing, but the incident highlighted potential recurring faults. Just days later, on October 9, flight AI154 from Vienna to Delhi was diverted to Dubai after critical systems, including autopilot, failed, forcing pilots to manually fly the aircraft at night.

These incidents follow the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI171, another Boeing 787, which tragically claimed 260 lives shortly after departing Ahmedabad. Investigators found that fuel cutoff switches had been inadvertently flipped, causing engine shutdown. FIP argues that the recent malfunctions suggest a worsening trend of electrical failures, posing significant risks to passenger safety.

The pilots' association has also requested a special audit of Air India's Boeing 787 maintenance by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), citing lapses since the airline assumed maintenance responsibilities from previous contractors. FIP stressed that Minimum Equipment List (MEL) clearances and recurring technical snags require urgent re-evaluation before any Dreamliner is cleared to operate. While crediting pilots for safely managing these emergencies, the FIP warned against compromising passenger safety by delaying inspections.

The DGCA has launched an investigation into the RAT deployment incident and has sought inputs from Boeing. FIP's appeal to ground the fleet underscores a serious push to prevent further incidents until thorough technical checks are completed.