Latest news with #Model787
USA Today
a day ago
- Business
- USA Today
Boeing, FAA say fuel switches are safe after preliminary Air India crash report
WASHINGTON, NEW DELHI, MONTREAL ― The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing have privately issued notifications that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe, a document seen by Reuters showed and four sources with knowledge of the matter said. The FAA's Continued Airworthiness Notification on July 11 came after a preliminary report into Air India's Boeing 787-8 crash, which killed 260 people last month, raised questions over engine fuel cutoff switches. The FAA's notification to Civil Aviation Authorities, seen by Reuters, said: "although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787." When asked for comment by Reuters, the FAA said it did not have anything to add beyond the notification. Boeing also referred to the FAA notification in a Multi-Operator-Message sent to the airlines in the past few days, which said the planemaker is not recommending any action, two of the sources with direct knowledge said. When asked for comment, Boeing referred Reuters' questions to the FAA. The preliminary investigation report into the crash by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), referred to a 2018 FAA advisory, which recommended, but did not mandate, operators of several Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the locking feature of the fuel cutoff switches to ensure it could not be moved accidentally. The report said Air India had said it had not carried out the FAA's suggested inspections, as the FAA 2018 advisory was not a mandate. But it also said maintenance records showed that the throttle control module, which includes the fuel switches, was replaced in 2019 and 2023 on the plane involved in the crash. The report noted "all applicable airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins were complied on the aircraft as well as engines." ALPA India, which represents Indian pilots at the Montreal-based International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations, in a statement on Saturday, rejected the presumption of pilot error and called for a "fair, fact-based inquiry." "The pilots body must now be made part of the probe, at least as observers," ALPA India President Sam Thomas told Reuters on Sunday. ALPA India, in a letter posted on social media, said the preliminary investigation report referred to the 2018 FAA advisory "concerning the fuel control switch gates, which indicates a potential equipment malfunction." In the flight's final moments, one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. "The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said. It said fuel switches had almost simultaneously flipped from run to cutoff just after takeoff. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped during the flight. Two U.S. safety experts said on Saturday they backed ALPA India's request to be observers in the probe, but said the investigation report did not suggest a bias toward pilot error. John Cox, a pilot and former ALPA U.S. representative, said AAIB's report seemed objective and fair.
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Boeing fuel switches safe, regulator says after Air India crash
SINGAPORE — The US aviation regulator has said fuel control switches in Boeing airplanes are safe, following their reported involvement in a fatal Air India crash that killed 260 people in June. The safety of the switches has become a key point of concern after a preliminary report on the disaster was released by investigators on Friday. That report said fuel to the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner engines was cut off moments after take-off from Ahmedabad airport, and highlighted past FAA reports that suggested the switches should be inspected for safety. In an email seen by the BBC, Air India's chief executive warned against jumping to "premature conclusions" following the report's publication. The disaster involving London-bound Flight 171 was one of the worst aviation incidents globally in almost a decade. Switches controlling fuel flow to the jet's engines had been moved from "run" to the "cut-off" position, hampering the thrust of the plane, according to the preliminary report, which was published by the India Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).Investigators referred to a 2018 FAA advisory, which urged — but did not mandate — operators of Boeing models to inspect the locking feature of the fuel cut-off switches to ensure they could not be moved by step was not taken by Air India, the AAIB said in its early US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday told civil aviation authorities that it had seen AAIB's preliminary noted that its own 2018 advisory "was based on reports that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged" — but added that it does not believe this makes the planes unsafe."Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787," said the authority, in an internal note shared with the BBC."The FAA will continue to share relevant information with foreign civil aviation authorities as appropriate."AAIB, which reviewed recovered cockpit voice recordings, reported that one pilot could be heard during the flight asking the other why he cut off the fuel."The other pilot responded that he did not do so," said the said the fuel switches had almost simultaneously flipped from run to cut-off just after take-off. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped during the India chief executive Campbell Wilson has warned against drawing "premature conclusions" about the cause of the accident in an email to staff seen by the said there was "an ongoing cycle of theories, allegations, rumours and sensational headlines" that had appeared over the past month, many of which had later been report, he stressed, had identified no cause for the accident, and nor had it made any recommendations."The investigation is far from over", he said."We will continue to cooperate with the investigators to ensure they have everything they need to conduct a thorough and comprehensive said the report had "found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or engines", adding that all necessary checks had been carried out before the extra checks had been carried out across Air India's 787 fleet within days of the accident "out of an abundance of caution". All were found to be fit for service, he India Flight 171 was scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad in India to London's Gatwick plane crashed into a medical college near the airport within a minute of take-off, killing 260 people who were mostly passengers. One British national survived the are expected to produce a more detailed report in 12 months. — BBC
The Star
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Amid Air India probe, US FAA, Boeing notify fuel switch locks are safe, document, sources say
The FAA's Continued Airworthiness Notification on July 11 came after a preliminary report into Air India's Boeing 787-8 crash, which killed 260 people last month, raised questions over engine fuel cutoff switches. - Reuters WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI/MONTREAL: The US Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing have privately issued notifications that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe, a document seen by Reuters showed and four sources with knowledge of the matter said. The FAA's Continued Airworthiness Notification on July 11 came after a preliminary report into Air India's Boeing 787-8 crash, which killed 260 people last month, raised questions over engine fuel cutoff switches. The FAA's notification to Civil Aviation Authorities, seen by Reuters, said: "although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787." When asked for comment, the FAA said it did not have anything to add beyond the notification. Boeing also referred to the FAA notification in a Multi-Operator-Message sent to the airlines in the past few days, which said the planemaker is not recommending any action, two of the sources with direct knowledge said. When asked for comment, Boeing referred Reuters' questions to the FAA. The preliminary investigation report into the crash by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), referred to a 2018 FAA advisory, which recommended, but did not mandate, operators of several Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the locking feature of the fuel cutoff switches to ensure it could not be moved accidentally. The report said Air India had said it had not carried out the FAA's suggested inspections as the FAA 2018 advisory was not a mandate. But it also said maintenance records showed that the throttle control module, which includes the fuel switches, was replaced in 2019 and 2023 on the plane involved in the crash. The report noted "all applicable airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins were complied on the aircraft as well as engines." ALPA India, which represents Indian pilots at the Montreal-based International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations, in a statement on Saturday rejected the presumption of pilot error and called for a "fair, fact-based inquiry." "The pilots body must now be made part of the probe, at least as observers," ALPA India President Sam Thomas told Reuters on Sunday. ALPA India, in a letter posted on X, said the preliminary investigation report referred to the 2018 FAA advisory "concerning the fuel control switch gates, which indicates a potential equipment malfunction." In the flight's final moments, one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. "The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said. It said fuel switches had almost simultaneously flipped from run to cutoff just after takeoff. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped during the flight. Two US safety experts said on Saturday they backed ALPA India's request to be observers in the probe, but said the investigation report did not suggest a bias toward pilot error. John Cox, a pilot and former ALPA US representative, said AAIB's report seemed objective and fair. - Reuters
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Etihad's big order to pilots on fuel switches as Air India crash probe deepens, Korea plans similar move
The Etihad Airways has ordered their pilots to "exercise caution" with fuel switches on the Boeing 787 aircraft, The Hindu reported on Monday. Etihad Airways has ordered an investigation into how the fuel control switches operate.(Bloomberg/File photo) The directive came on the day of a preliminary probe report on the June 12 Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad was released, revealing that both fuel switches on the flight flipped from the 'RUN' to the 'CUTOFF' positions shortly after take-off. South Korea is also planning a similar move for its airlines operating Boeing aircraft, news agency Reuters reported. The country is preparing to order all its airlines that operate Boeing planes to examine the fuel control switches. Meanwhile, besides ordering pilots to tread carefully with the switches, Etihad Airways has also ordered an investigation into how the fuel control switches operate. Etihad's orders to pilots and South Korea's reported plan for a similar move for its airlines follow a notification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing that said the fuel control switches on its planes, including 787, were not unsafe. 'Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787,' the notification to Civil Aviation Authorities, seen by news agency Reuters, read. Etihad's mandates, S Korea's plans According to The Hindu, Etihad released a bulletin on July 12, the day the Air India plane crash's probe report released, asking pilots to 'exercise caution when operating the fuel control switches or any other switches/control in their vicinity'. The airline says that that this measure is being taken "out of an abundance of caution". A separate bulletin from Etihad mandates inspections of the fuel control locking mechanism across its Boeing 787 fleet, with a detailed guide for engineers to verify proper engagement of this feature, the publication further reported. It has also directed pilots to avoid placing objects on the pedestal to avoid accidental movements, and ordered the crew onboard to report anything unusual. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) of South Korea is also preparing checks on the fuel control switches in Boeing planes operated by its airlines. However, there is no timeline for these examinations yet. They come in accordance with a 2018 FAA advisory, which recommended Boeing model operators to inspect the locking feature of the fuel switches. The same advisory was also cited in the Air India crash probe report released recently. Findings in Air India probe report The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released a preliminary probe report on the Air India flight crash on July 12, exactly a month after the deadly crash of the Boeing 787 aircraft in Ahmedabad killed 260 people, including 241 on board. The report's findings revealed that switches that regulate fuel supply to the engines shifted from 'RUN' to the 'CUTOFF' within a second of each other, and both engines of the aircraft shut down mid-air just seconds after take-off. It also records a conversation between the two pilots in the cockpit, quoting one of them as saying 'Why did you cut off?', to which the other responds, 'I didn't.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Air India crash: US FAA, Boeing says 'fuel switch locks safe'; probe report raised questions on engine cutoff
NEW DELHI: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing have privately issued a notification that the fuel switch locks on Boeing aircraft are safe, according to a Reuters report citing sources. The clarification follows India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) preliminary report on the June 12 Air India Flight 171 crash. According to a Reuters report, the FAA issued a Continued Airworthiness Notification on July 11 after preliminary findings from AAIB referenced to a 2018 FAA advisory about the engine fuel cutoff switches in the Air India Boeing 787-8 crash that killed 260 people last month. The AAIB report questioned whether the fuel switches might have been accidentally activated shortly after takeoff, leading to the engine failure. The FAA's notification to Civil Aviation Authorities, said that, "although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo Boeing also cited the FAA's position in a Multi-Operator Message recently circulated to airlines. Two sources told Reuters that the US plane maker has not recommended any additional action in response to the incident. The preliminary report of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) report mentioned that the fuel switches of engine one and two of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft were cut off within a gap of one second and later turned on before the crash. The preliminary investigation report into the crash by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had pointed to a 2018 FAA Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO), which recommended, but did not mandate, carriers operating Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the fuel switch locking mechanisms to prevent inadvertent movement. The said fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, including the B787, the aircraft that crashed. However, the AAIB report also pointed out that Air India had not conducted the inspections recommended in the FAA's 2018 advisory, as the directive was not mandatory. It added that maintenance logs showed the aircraft's throttle control module, which houses the fuel switches, had been replaced twice, in 2019 and again in 2023. The report further noted that "all applicable airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins were compiled on the aircraft as well as engines." The FAA recommended: "Inspect the locking feature of the fuel control switch to ensure its engagement. While the airplane is on the ground, check whether the fuel control switch can be moved between the two positions without lifting up the switch. If the switch can be moved without lifting it up, the locking feature has been disengaged and the switch should be replaced at the earliest opportunity." The AAIB report said: "The airworthiness concern was not considered an unsafe condition that would warrant an airworthiness directive (AD) by FAA. As per information from Air India, the suggested inspections were not carried out as the SAIB was advisory and not mandatory." What are fuel control switches linked to Air India flight AI171 crash? Fuel control switches manage the fuel supply to an aircraft's engines and are crucial during engine start-up and shutdown, both on the ground and in flight. In case of engine failure, pilots can use them to manually shut down or restart the engines. On a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, like the one used for Air India Flight AI171, the two fuel switches are located just below the thrust levers. Experts say these switches are designed to prevent accidental activation. However, if moved, the impact is immediate, cutting off engine power. Indian pilots association calls for 'fair inquiry' ALPA India, which represents Indian pilots at the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA), has called for a 'fair, fact-based inquiry' into the crash of Air India Flight AI171. The pilots' association rejected any early presumption of pilot error and urged authorities to include them in the probe as observers. In a statement posted on X, ALPA India pointed to the preliminary investigation report which referenced a 2018 FAA advisory "concerning the fuel control switch gates, which indicates a potential equipment malfunction." Capt Sam Thomas, president of the Airline Pilots' Association of India had earlier said: "The AAIB report refers to a serviceability bulletin concerning the fuel control switch gates, which indicates a potential equipment malfunction. The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias toward pilot error. ALPA categorically rejects this presumption and insists on a fair, fact-based inquiry." "The pilots body must now be made part of the probe, at least as observers," ALPA India President Sam Thomas told Reuters. What did the preliminary data reveal? Flight data revealed that just seconds after reaching its maximum speed of 180 knots during takeoff, both engine fuel switches moved from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' within one second of each other, cutting off thrust to the engines. "The aircraft achieved a maximum recorded airspeed of 180 knots… and immediately thereafter, the engine 1 and engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of one second," the report added. A cockpit voice recording captured one pilot asking the other, "Why did you shut off the fuel?" to which "the other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said. The fuel switches were flipped back to 'RUN' after 14 seconds, triggering the aircraft's auto relight sequence. However, by then, both engines had already lost critical power. The aircraft entered a steep descent and crashed into a nearby building just 32 seconds after takeoff, despite the crew's 'MAYDAY' distress call. The report also noted deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a backup power source that activates when both engines fail. CCTV footage from the airport confirmed RAT deployment, and investigators found no evidence of bird activity around the aircraft. The report does not explain how or why the fuel switches were moved during the flight. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
