UK regulator flagged Boeing fuel switches four weeks before Air India crash
A fuel shut-off valve is a safety device that stops the flow of fuel to the engine, typically used for maintenance, in case of an engine fire, or during forced landings. It is a key component that helps prevent fuel leaks and ensures the safe operation of the aircraft. The UK regulator directed airline operators to test, inspect, or replace fuel shutoff valve actuators on Boeing 787s, among others.Moreover, the safety notice specifically ordered that daily checks of the fuel shutoff valves be carried out on aircraft impacted by the AD.The matter came to the fore after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India noted in its preliminary report on the Air India crash that fuel control switches, which regulate the flow of fuel to each engine, unexpectedly moved to 'CUTOFF' shortly after liftoff, which caused both engines to shut down.The FAA, in a notification issued on July 11, stated the fuel control switch design does not pose any safety risks, and Boeing echoed that view in guidance to global airlines. However, the UK CAA's directive in May mandated urgent operator-level action, with checks required and compliance to be documented.According to reports, Air India replaced the Throttle Control Module (TCM), which houses the fuel control switches, on the crashed Dreamliner in 2019 and 2023, in line with Boeing's standard maintenance schedule.However, the AAIB preliminary report found that Air India didn't inspect the locking mechanism of the fuel cutoff switches, as recommended by a 2018 FAA advisory. The airline maintains that as the advisory wasn't mandatory, it did not carry out the inspections.Meanwhile, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said in an internal communication that the initial findings of the probe "identified no cause nor made any recommendations", and urged against drawing premature conclusions about who is at fault for the deadly crash.- Ends
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
Mini US trade deal likely as genetically modified door ajar
New Delhi: An interim trade deal with the US could materialise in the ongoing round of talks, with India becoming receptive to imports of certain genetically modified (GM) farm products used in animal feed but holding firm on restricting imports of GM corn and soyabean. The fifth round of talks for the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) are currently being held in Washington. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Artificial Intelligence Design Thinking CXO Management MBA Cybersecurity Data Analytics others Project Management Operations Management Others Leadership Product Management Data Science Technology Finance PGDM Degree Digital Marketing Public Policy MCA healthcare Data Science Healthcare Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details US President Donald Trump said a trade deal with India would be on the 'same line' as that with Indonesia, which will face a 19% tariff, suggesting that New Delhi, too, may be subject to tariffs above the baseline 10%. 'There will be an interim deal first, be it first tranche or second tranche, before a BTA,' said an official. 'We will close multiple deals as and when they finalise. We will be doing our job. Rest we will leave to others,' the official said, without elaborating. Access to Labour-intensive Industries India is demanding greater market access for labour-intensive industries such as textiles and electronics while the US wants steep cuts in tariffs across sectors including cars and access for its dairy and farm products. 'We aim to package a deal before the Quad summit,' said the official cited above. Live Events India will host the 2025 summit of the four-member Quad grouping, also comprising the US, Australia, and Japan, later this year. Trump is set to attend the summit. The US has announced tariffs on several nations from August 1 including those with whom it has finalised trade deals. As per the trade pact with Vietnam, the US has imposed a 40% duty on transshipped goods. With Indonesia, it has sought commitments to purchase $15 billion in American energy, $4.5 billion in American agricultural products, and 50 Boeing jets. Conditions related to India continuing to buy Russian crude oil could be proposed in the BTA talks. Trump, on July 14, proposed 100% tariffs on Russian oil buyers, followed by NATO issuing a warning to India, China, and Brazil that they could face harsh secondary sanctions — including 100% tariffs — if they kept doing business with Russia without pressuring Moscow to start peace talks. The US has already proposed a 10% tariff on all BRICS exports, besides levying a 50% tariff on Brazil, partly for pressuring platform X to remove content. 'India, which also makes takedown requests, could be targeted next. More such tariffs could follow,' said a New Delhi-based trade expert, adding that even a trade deal will not guarantee protection due to Washington's uncertain approach.
Deccan Herald
4 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
Crash probe and conjecture
The 787 Dreamliner has been flaunted as one of the world's most technologically advanced long-haul aircraft. Gp Capt (Retd) A K Sachdev
NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
US Aviation Body Not Considering Contracts With Musk's SpaceX Starlink
The Federal Aviation Administration told lawmakers it is not considering replacing its current telecommunication contracts it holds with L3Harris or Verizon Communications with Elon Musk's SpaceX's Starlink satellite unit. "The FAA is not aware of any effort by SpaceX to assume the (telecommunications) contracts. Nor has FAA considered replacing the awardees of those contracts with SpaceX," said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford in a letter to lawmakers dated Tuesday reviewed by Reuters. "FAA would not use Starlink (or any satellite service) as the sole communications technology for safety-critical air traffic services."
