Latest news with #B737s
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Air India says fuel control switches of all its Boeing planes checked, ‘no issues found with them'
Representative image NEW DELHI: Air India on Tuesday said it has completed checks on the locking mechanism of fuel control switch (FCS) on all its Boeing 787s & also the B737s in AI Express fleet and found nothing wrong with the same. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had last Monday directed these checks on all Boeing aircraft used by Indian operators/ 'Air India has completed precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of FCS on all Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet. Boeing 737 aircraft are part of the fleet of Air India Express, AI's low-cost subsidiary. With this, the two airlines have complied with the DGCA's July 14 directives. In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism. Air India had started voluntary inspections on 12 July and completed them within the prescribed time limit set by the DGCA,' the airline said in a statement 'The same has been communicated to the regulator. Air India remains committed to the safety of passengers and crew members,' it added. The Indian DGCA and airlines of some other countries like South Korea and the UAE had also directed checks on FCS of Boeing aircraft following the June 12 AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad. The preliminary probe report said fuel supply to both engines of the AI B787 had got cut off as fuel cutoff switches of the London-bound Dreamliner's engine 1 and 2 transitioned from 'run' to 'cutoff' position one after another with a time gap of a second. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo While it is not yet known how and why the switches were turned off, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had in December 2018 issued a 'special airworthiness information bulletin' (SAIB), regarding potential disengagement of fuel control switch locking mechanism on certain Boeing planes. Since that 'airworthiness concern was not considered an unsafe condition' and 'the suggested inspections were not carried out (by Air India) as the SAIB was advisory and not mandatory,' says the AI 171 prelim report. However, after the AI 171 crash, the checks were ordered. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Air India tragedy fallout: DGCA directs airlines to inspect fuel switches in Boeings
Representative image NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: India on Monday directed its airlines using certain Boeing aircraft, like the B737s and B787 Dreamliners, to check fuel control switch locking mechanisms on them by July 21. The regulators and airlines of some other countries, like South Korea and the UAE, are also doing the same. The US Federal Aviation Administration had in December 2018 issued a "special airworthiness information bulletin" regarding potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking mechanism on certain Boeing planes. The directive comes two days after the release of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's reliminary report which put the fuel control switches centre-stage in its investigation of the June 12 AI 171 crash that killed 270 people. Airlines are required to submit their inspection plans and subsequent reports to DGCA headquarters and relevant regional offices. Half of Air India's Dreamliners cleared in lock switch check It has come to the notice of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation that several operators, internationally as well as domestic, have initiated inspection on their aircraft fleet as per the SAIB NM-18-33," DGCA order said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Beyond Text Generation: An AI Tool That Helps You Write Better Grammarly Install Now Undo The inspection requirement affects a wide range of Boeing aircraft, including various 737 series, 747 models, 757 series, 767 variants, and all 787 models. "Strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations," said the order signed by R B Jamir, director of airworthiness. Air India is learned to have checked half of its 33 Dreamliners over the weekend and found nothing wrong with the locking mechanism of those switches. "As and when the remaining Dreamliners fly to India or to a base that has engineering support, they will be checked too in the next two days," said sources. AI Express is also learned to have checked 26 B737s & 49 B737MAX aircraft and not found any defect on them. Vistara's wet-leased Dreamliners are not registered in India so do not come under the DGCA order. AI had replaced the throttle control module (which houses, among other things, the fuel switches) in 2019 and 2023 on the Dreamliner (VT-ANB) that crashed in Ahmedabad. "However, the reason for the replacement was not linked to the fuel control switch. There has been no defect reported pertaining to the fuel control switch since 2023 on VT-ANB," AAIB's preliminary report says. The preliminary report did not recommend actions to Boeing 787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers. "Data downloaded from the forward enhanced airborne flight recorder is being analysed in detail... Investigation is continuing and the investigation team will review and examine additional evidence, records and information that is being sought from the stakeholders," the report said. Meanwhile, news agencies reported that FAA and Boeing have privately issued notifications that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe. This is not the first time that airlines and regulators worldwide have stepped away from FAA directives to independently take decisions impacting flight safety. In 2019, a day after an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX aircraft crashed, it was grounded by 51 aviation regulators worldwide. The regulators, led by China's Civil Aviation Administration, kept aside FAA's affirmation of B737 MAX's airworthiness. Five months earlier, Indonesian carrier Lion Air's B737 MAX crashed in similar manner during take-off. It was only after the Lion Air crash that Boeing revealed to airlines that it had installed an operating system on the MAX aircraft that lowered the aircraft nose automatically in certain conditions.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
AI-171 crash investigation: Air India CEO says no maintenance or engine issues detected
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson stated that the AAIB's preliminary report on the AI-171 crash found no mechanical or maintenance faults and urged against drawing premature conclusions. The investigation revealed that both engines were cut off mid-air, but the cause remains undetermined as the inquiry continues. India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday directed airlines to conduct checks on fuel control switches of Boeing aircraft, including the B787 Dreamliner and some B737s. These aircraft are used by operators like Air India Group, IndiGo and SpiceJet. Show more Show less
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Air India crash: DGCA orders fuel control switch checks on select Boeing aircraft by July 21; flags 2018 Federal Aviation advisory
Photo/Agencies NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Monday directed Indian carriers to conduct checks on fuel control switches of Boeing aircraft, including the B787 Dreamliner and some B737s. These aircraft are used by operators like Air India Group, IndiGo and SpiceJet. The preliminary report into the June 12 crash Air India crash in Ahmedabad states that fuel supply to the engines was cut off as position of the fuel supply switch was changed from run to cutoff and then back to run again. Some foreign airlines, including Etihad have already begun these checks on their Dreamliners. The DGCA order issued Monday says: "(US) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a 'special airworthiness information bulletin' (SAIB) on December 17, 2018, regarding the potential for disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature on Boeing Company Model 717-200 airplanes; Model 737-700, -700C, -800, and -900ER series airplanes; Model 737-8 and -9 airplanes; Model 747-400, -400D, -400F, -8, and -8F series airplanes; Model 757-200, -200CB, -200PF, and -300 series airplanes; Model 767-200, -300,300F, -400ER, and -2C series airplanes; Model 787-8, -9, and-10 airplanes; Model MD-11 and MD-11F airplanes; and Model MD-90-30 airplanes. " "It has come to the notice of DGCA, that several operators- internationally as well as domestic have initiated inspection on their aircraft fleet as per the (Dec 17, 2018) SAIB.... all airline operators of the affected aircraft are hereby advised to complete the inspection (by) no later than July 21, 2025. Inspection plan and report after accomplishment of inspection shall be submitted to this office under intimation to concerned regional office. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esta nueva alarma con cámara es casi regalada en Cañadita Alegre (ver precio) Verisure Más información Undo " "Strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations," it adds. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) preliminary report into AI 171 crash had said that since the SAIB wasn't mandatory in nature, Air India had not carried out the checks. "The airworthiness concern was not considered an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) by the FAA. The fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models including part number 4TL837-3D which is fitted in B787-8 aircraft VT-ANB (the plane that had crashed in Ahmedabad). As per the information from Air India, the suggested inspections were not carried out as the SAIB was advisory and not mandatory. The scrutiny of maintenance records revealed that the throttle control module was replaced on VT-ANB in 2019 and 2023. However, the reason for the replacement was not linked to the fuel control switch. There has been no defect reported pertaining to the fuel control switch since 2023 on VT-ANB,' the preliminary report had said. The AAIB had added that 'at this stage of investigation, there are no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers.' Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
RTÉ News
10-06-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Ryanair investing $500m in 30 new engines
Ryanair has announced it has reached agreement with commercial aircraft engines supplier CFM to buy 30 new spare LEAP-1B engines which have a list price of $500m and which will deliver over the next two years. The airline said these fuel-efficient engines will support Ryanair's fleet of 210x B737 Gamechanger aircraft and also the B737 MAX-10 aircraft which deliver in 2027. It added that the 30 new engines greatly increase Ryanair's pool of spare engines to over 120, which will enhance Ryanair's operational resilience. Ryanair plans to increase its fleet to 800x B737s (all powered by CFM engines) to grow its traffic to 300m guests p.a. by 2034. Group CEO of Ryanair Michael O'Leary said they're pleased to continue to develop their longstanding partnership with CFM (Safran & GE Aerospace). "Today's purchase of 30 new LEAP-1B spare engines is a significant $500m commitment to improve the operational resilience of our Group airlines," said Mr O'Leary "These latest technology CFM engines reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per seat by up to 20% when installed on our B737 MAX fleet, which will further widen Ryanair's cost leadership over competitor airlines in Europe." CFM's President & CEO, Gael Meheust, said: "This new agreement is another milestone in the long and successful partnership we have built with Ryanair. We look forward to continuing to support Ryanair's significant growth by providing them with industry-leading reliability and utilization standards".
