Oman Air enhances fuel switch checks on Boeing fleet
Confirming this in an exclusive interview with Times of Oman, Captain Nasser Al Salmi, Chief Operating Officer of Oman Air, said, 'In line with regulatory guidance, we have conducted extra fuel switch checks on all of our Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft as a precautionary measure and as part of our ongoing commitment to the highest safety standards.'
Oman Air has eight Boeing 787 aircraft and 23 Boeing 737 aircraft.
While Boeing and the United States Federal Aviation Administration have affirmed the safety of the fuel switch locks, several airlines – including Oman Air, Etihad and Singapore Airlines – have opted to take additional precautionary steps in the interest of operational assurance and safety continuity.
India's civil aviation regulator has issued a directive for airlines to conduct precautionary inspections of the fuel switch locking mechanisms on all Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft by July 21. This directive comes in the wake of a recent technical review and supports the industry's focus on continuous safety enhancement.
On Monday, Etihad, the second-largest airline in the United Arab Emirates, urged all its pilots to check the fuel switches on 787 aircraft in its fleet.
India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary report, released in the early hours of Saturday, said the fuel control switches were found in the 'cutoff' position, triggering a global debate over whether pilot action or mechanical failure caused India's worst single-aircraft aviation disaster.
Fuel switches are crucial components in the heart of an aircraft's cockpit that control the flow of fuel to the engines. The twin-engine Boeing 787, which crashed in Ahmedabad, has one switch for each engine. The switches sit underneath the throttle handles in the cockpit's centre console, positioned where pilots' hands naturally rest during critical flight phases. Physical brackets guard each switch on both sides, making it impossible to accidentally brush against them. A spring-loaded mechanism requires pilots to pull each switch upward against resistance before it can be moved.
© Muscat Media Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
23 minutes ago
- Gulf Today
British, Indian PMs sign landmark free trade pact
In a historic moment for the India-UK trade and economic ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer on Thursday signed the much-awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which will boost annual bilateral trade by about $34 billion. As part of the landmark FTA, India will cut tariffs on 90 per cent of the UK products, while the UK will reduce duties on 99 per cent of Indian exports, significantly cutting tariff lines and regulatory processes across sectors. "Our landmark trade deal with India is a major win for Britain. It will create thousands of British jobs across the UK, unlock new opportunities for businesses and drive growth in every corner of the country," said Starmer in a post on X. The pact is set to make imported goods like Scotch whisky, gin, luxury cars, cosmetics, and medical devices more affordable for Indian consumers. Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi during a press conference after signing a free trade agreement at Chequers near Aylesbury, England, on Thursday. Reuters With the FTA being materialised, Indian farm products will get tariff parity with major European exporters like Germany. Zero duties on textiles and leather are expected to boost India's competitiveness among regional peers such as Bangladesh and Cambodia. India's leather sector is projected to gain an additional market share of 5 per cent in the UK within the next two years. Similarly, projections show that electronics and engineering exports are likely to double by 2030, while gems and jewellery exports are likely to double (from the current $941 million) in the next three years. Officials estimate the deal will increase UK exports to India by almost 60 per cent over the long term. Earlier, PM Modi called on Starmer at the Chequers Estate – the countryside retreat of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom – as he began official engagements on his fourth visit to the country. Prime Minister Modi is set to hold wide-ranging discussions with Starmer on the entire gamut of India-UK bilateral relations and also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance. Later in the day, he will also call on King Charles III. During the discussions, the two sides will also review the progress of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) with a specific focus on trade and economy, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate, health, education and people-to-people ties. Indo-Asian News Service
Zawya
6 hours ago
- Zawya
Blackstone CEO says preparing portfolio companies for IPOs
Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman said on Thursday the asset manager is preparing some of its portfolio companies for initial public offerings over the next few quarters. (Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)
Zawya
8 hours ago
- Zawya
Wipro wins Multi-Year 'Smart Grid' deal from Saudi Electric Company
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia & BENGALURU, India --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading AI-powered technology services and consulting company, today announced a multi-year strategic contract from Saudi Electric Company – National Grid SA. Wipro will implement a Smart Meter Data Management (MDM) system for the transmission network to modernize the client's meter data platform, enhance operational efficiencies, and better manage risks. "We are excited to build a long-standing relationship with National Grid SA and are dedicated to assisting them in navigating the evolving energy landscape,' said Vinay Firake, CEO – Asia Pacific, India, Middle East & Africa (APMEA), Wipro Limited. 'With our deep domain expertise in the energy sector, smart solutions and advanced technological capabilities, we are proud to contribute to projects that are essential to the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and help the Kingdom realize its innovation and digitalization ambitions." Wipro will design, develop, implement, and support the infrastructure and smart applications for the new MDM system. Through continuous monitoring, the system will improve grid stability by providing real-time data on power flow, voltage, and equipment data. Wipro will enable National Grid SA to improve its grid planning through intelligent forecasting and reporting. The intelligent integrations will support proactive maintenance, faster fault identification, and enhance visibility of energy usage patterns. This will allow National Grid SA to optimize its power dispatch, reduce operational costs, and minimize outages, leading to optimal experiences for the end user. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading AI-powered technology services and consulting company focused on building innovative solutions that address clients' most complex digital transformation needs. Leveraging our holistic portfolio of capabilities in consulting, design, engineering, and operations, we help clients realize their boldest ambitions and build future-ready, sustainable businesses. With over 230,000 employees and business partners across 65 countries, we deliver on the promise of helping our clients, colleagues, and communities thrive in an ever-changing world. Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements contained herein represent Wipro's beliefs regarding future events, many of which are by their nature, inherently uncertain and outside Wipro's control. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Wipro's growth prospects, its future financial operating results, and its plans, expectations and intentions. Wipro cautions readers that the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, complete proposed corporate actions, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Annual Reports on Form 20-F. These filings are available at We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf.
