Air India: Concerns over the safety of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft in Air India’s fleet have been growing since the Ahmedabad plane crash on June 14.
Now, the Indian Pilots Association has written to Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu, demanding the temporary suspension of all Boeing 787 flights operated by Air India.
The association has also requested a detailed inspection of the aircraft, focusing on possible faults in their electrical systems.
What did the Indian Pilots Association say?
According to a Hindustan Times report, the association’s letter stated:
“After the AI-171 crash, several Air India aircraft have shown technical defects.
If the Boeing 787 aircraft are not properly examined, they could pose a risk to passenger safety. Therefore, we request that all Air India B-787 aircraft be grounded temporarily and their electrical systems thoroughly inspected.”
Recent technical issues
The letter mentioned two recent incidents involving Boeing 787 aircraft:
Air India Flight AI-117 – On October 4, this flight had to deploy its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) before landing in Birmingham due to a technical fault.
Air India Flight AI-154 – On October 9, this flight from Vienna to Delhi faced technical problems mid-air and was diverted to Dubai for safety reasons.
Demands made by the pilots’ union
The association made three key requests in its letter to the minister:
Conduct a detailed investigation into the incidents involving AI-117 and AI-154.
Ground all Air India Boeing 787 aircraft temporarily and carry out a complete inspection of their electrical systems and recurring technical issues.
Order a special safety audit of Air India by senior officials from the Flight Safety Directorate (FSD) and the Air Safety and Airworthiness Department of the DGCA.
