Latest news with #AI171Dreamliner
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Time of India
Not AAIBly Done
Why the unsigned AI 171 accident report patently fails to meet the test of credibility If the sole purpose of investigations is to meet deadlines, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has done well. International rules gave it 30 days to submit a preliminary report about June 12's AI 171 Dreamliner crash, and it pushed 15 pages past the finish line on Saturday. Unfortunately, most experts have assessed the report to be short on substance. Preliminary reports cannot be conclusive, but they should begin to shed light. Families of the 270 deceased and the rest of humanity are none the wiser. The report's authors admit: 'At this stage…no definitive cause has been determined.' All we know for sure now is that three seconds after takeoff, fuel supply to both engines stopped. Two possibilities arise. A pilot cut it off by flipping two switches – one for each engine. Or that the switches were faulty. Without facts, plausibility is a matter of preference. Are humans more fragile than mechanical devices? Deliberately switching off engines at 650ft is suicidal, yet some would subscribe to this view. The issue with AAIB's report is that it appears to push this possibility. It says one pilot asked the other why he had flipped the switches, and the other replied he hadn't. We don't know the pilots' exact words, nor who asked and who answered. We don't know what was said before and after. Just two cherry-picked sentences paraphrased in a way that they slyly implicate the two pilots who cannot defend themselves anymore. If pilot dialogue is material to the probe, so is the fact that seven years ago the US aviation regulator found fuel control switches used in some Boeing 737s – similar to those in Dreamliners – had been installed with their locking feature disengaged. VT-ANB – the lost Dreamliner – was built four years before that discovery. AAIB's report acknowledges this possibility, but doesn't buttress it like the alternate possibility of deliberate pilot action. The fact that no active airline pilots were involved in the investigation, and that the report was submitted unsigned, raises more questions. As does Western media's access to these findings two days before their official release. AAIB has met its deadline and may consider its job done, but considering how its 'narrative' – the 'findings' are ambiguous – has injured the reputations of AI 171's pilots, it should reveal its findings in detail. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
India Today
12-07-2025
- General
- India Today
Seconds before Mayday, Air India fuel switches turned back from 'cutoff' to 'run'
Thirteen seconds before Air Traffic Control received the 'MAYDAY' call from the Ahmedabad-London AI171 Dreamliner on the day of the crash, June 12, a preliminary probe by the Civil Aviation Ministry revealed that the fuel control switches were being transitioned back from 'CUTOFF' (fuel stopped) to 'RUN' (fuel flowing).According to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), both engines of the ill-fated aircraft experienced a momentary recovery after an initial loss of thrust, but ultimately failed to stabilise. The crash ultimately led to the deaths of 260 the first engine's core deceleration stopped, reversed, and began to recover, the second engine could not arrest its deceleration, according to the AAIB's report released today, a month after the crash. According to the recording from the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) accessed by AAIB, the Civil Aviation Ministry's investigative arm revealed that the fuel cutoff switch of the first engine transitioned from "CUTOFF" to "RUN" at about 08:08:52 seconds later, the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) inlet door began to open during takeoff, which could disrupt airflow, according to several experts. The APU provides electrical and pneumatic power while the aircraft is on the ground, and occasionally in the two seconds, the Engine 2 fuel cutoff switch also transitioned from "CUTOFF" to "RUN."Engine 1's core deceleration stopped, reversed and started to progress to recovery, according to the preliminary probe 2 was able to relight but could not arrest core speed deceleration and re-introduced fuel repeatedly to increase core speed acceleration and recovery, the report further stated.- Ends
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Suspicion of falsifying records…': What is DGCA's new medical test at IAF centres rule for pilots? Here's why airlines are alarmed
Aviation executives are worried that strict military medical criteria could lead to numerous pilots being deemed unfit for duty. (AI image) Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)'s new rule for commercial pilots to clear medical tests at Indian Air Force (IAF) centres has caused alarm amongst airlines in India. The civil aviation authority's latest directive, issued last week, specifies that commercial pilots must undergo medical examinations exclusively at Indian Air Force facilities. This supersedes the previous regulation that permitted these medical tests at approved private hospitals and by DGCA-empanelled medical examiners. DGCA guidelines require all pilots to complete regular medical examinations which include a comprehensive set of tests. Medical Tests For Pilots: Why Has DGCA Changed Rules? According to senior regulatory officials quoted in an ET report, this new rule has been implemented following an incident where an airline co-pilot suffered a fatal cardiac arrest post-flight. Subsequent DGCA investigations revealed the pilot had pre-existing cardiac conditions unknown to the airline. "We felt that there was a change required for the process as there was suspicion that a few were falsifying records to pass their medicals," the official was quoted as saying. Also Read | 'Altered or forged records..': DGCA warned Air India Express of delays in Airbus engine fixes; months before AI 171 Dreamliner crash Why Are Airlines Worried? Aviation executives are worried that strict military medical criteria could lead to numerous pilots being deemed unfit for duty, resulting in pilot shortages and higher insurance costs for airlines. Airline industry leaders express concerns about the significant differences between military and commercial pilot medical standards. The IAF's limited capacity has resulted in lengthy processing times, potentially affecting flight operations due to pilot availability issues. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo "The air force does not have the mandate and cannot keep increasing its manpower and infrastructure requirements to meet the civil aviation requirements," an airline official said according to the financial daily. "Worldwide, India remains the only country which has not severed the cord from the defence establishments for civil pilot medicals; the philosophy and requirements in clearing the pilots for both the civil and defence are very different, hence the need to separate from defence was felt by all countries," the official added. Also Read | Air India Boeing 787 crash: What brought down AI 171 plane in Ahmedabad? Simulation puts focus on technical failure Indian aviation regulations require pilots to undergo additional medical examinations, including ultrasound, tread mill test and specific biochemical tests, which are not mandatory requirements by major international regulators such as the FAA in the United States or EASA in Europe. According to the Federation of Indian Pilots, military doctors adhere to military protocols and operational standards, leading them to assess commercial pilots using criteria similar to those applied to combat-ready fighter pilots. As a consequence, these physicians frequently recommend commercial aviators to undergo comprehensive secondary medical examinations through external facilities, resulting in time-consuming and costly procedures that may not always be essential, it said. "With India becoming the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world, after the US and China, the assumption is that India will require more than 30,000 pilots over the next few years. It is imperative that the process is looked at and revised at the earliest," a pilot said. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
NDTV
22-06-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Air India To Scale Back Narrow-Body Operations Across 19 Routes Until Mid-July
New Delhi: Air India has announced a considerable but temporary five per cent reduction in its narrow-body flight operations across select domestic and short-haul international routes, citing the need to bolster operational stability. Until 15 July, the airline is temporarily suspending services on three routes and reducing frequency on 19 routes. The airline is suspending services between Bengaluru-Singapore, Pune-Singapore and Mumbai-Bagdogra - each route losing all seven weekly rotations. Key domestic arteries like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Pune, and Mumbai's links to Goa, Hyderabad and other metros have also seen scaled-back schedules with reduced frequency, thereby losing between five and twelve weekly flights in each sector. This announcement comes after Air India had slashed 15 per cent of its long-haul wide-body operations across international routes following the June 12 AI 171 Dreamliner crash at Ahmedabad. Besides regulatory pressure, the airline is grappling with Middle Eastern airspace closures and night-time curfews in European and East Asian sectors. These factors have already caused 83 wide-body flight cancellations in recent days. According to the airline, the reductions are aimed at strengthening Air India's network-wide operational stability and minimising last-minute inconvenience to passengers. As the airline recalibrates its network and pursues "maximum caution", Air India seeks to assure passengers that full schedules will resume as soon as inspections clear and airspace conditions stabilise.
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Business Standard
19-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Sorry and thank you: Air India CEO writes to flyers a week after crash
Stepping up its communication process since last week's AI171 Dreamliner crash, Air India on Thursday reached out to its frequent fliers about flight cancellations and operational disruptions in the aftermath of the tragedy. Signed by Air India chief executive and managing director Campbell Wilson, the email communication comes a day after Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran admitted in a media interview that the airline's communication with passengers, after the crash, had not been strong. Chandrasekaran, who's also the Air India chairman, had told Times Now on Wednesday evening that the airline had now set up a 'strategic communications team' in addition to its regular one. As part of this change, Air India issued a detailed public statement, explaining the events of June 12—the day of the crash--and the reasons for the subsequent wave of cancellations. In his email to frequent flyers on Thursday evening, Wilson gave a glowing tribute to the flight crew of AI171, stating that Captain Sumeet Sabharwal had over 10,000 hours flying widebody aircraft and First Officer Clive Kunder had over 3,400 hours of experience. Against the backdrop of multiple cancellations and lower demand, he assured flyers that the aircraft had undergone all required maintenance checks. Thanking flyers for their patience, the Air India CEO wrote: 'This is a challenging time for all of trust means everything to us,' He elaborated that as a result of the enhanced safety checks and other external disruptions, the airline would reduce its international widebody flights by around 15 per cent starting June 20, 2025, through to at least mid-July. This move, he said, would 'allow us to have more backup aircraft ready to handle any unexpected issues'. Passengers affected by the revised schedule would be contacted directly and offered a choice of rebooking at no additional cost or a full refund. 'We understand that this temporary reduction to our schedule may affect your travel plans, and we're deeply sorry for any inconvenience,' he wrote. Wilson spoke of 'deep sorrow' over the loss of 241 passengers and crew members, and 34 people on the ground, calling the AI171 crash on June 12 in Ahmedabad a 'devastating event'. He said Air India was working closely with authorities and was fully committed to supporting the affected families. 'Words cannot express the pain we feel for the families and loved ones affected by this devastating event,' he wrote. "The plane was well-maintained, with its last major check in June 2023 and the next scheduled for December 2025. Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored, showing no issues before the flight," he noted. He confirmed that 26 of the airline's 33 Boeing 787 aircraft had undergone DGCA-mandated enhanced safety inspections and had been cleared for service. The remaining aircraft would be inspected before being returned to operations. 'As a confidence-building measure,' he added, 'we have elected to continue enhanced pre-flight safety checks on our Boeing 787 fleet and, as an added measure, our Boeing 777 aircraft.' He acknowledged that the additional checks, along with other external and operational factors, had resulted in a 'higher-than-usual number of cancellations' in recent days. Chandrasekaran had pointed out on Wednesday that Air India had taken several internal steps in recent days to strengthen its communication and operational response. Wilson's email to frequent flyers would perhaps be counted as one of those steps.
