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Hindustan Times
30 minutes ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Fuel switch locks safe, claim US FAA, Boeing amid Air India crash probe: Report
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. 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 AAIB report said.(PTI) 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.' Also read: Air India crash report: 49 hours of raw data retrieved from black box using US 'Golden Chassis' 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 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.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Collapsed bridge in India, July fourth fireworks: pictures of the week
A model wears a design from the Iris van Herpen Fall-Winter 2025/26 Haute Couture collection on... A model wears a design from the Iris van Herpen Fall-Winter 2025/26 Haute Couture collection on July 7, 2025, in... share
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
12 IAS officers, 3 IPS officers among mentors for UT's 42 govt schools
As many as 12 IAS officers and three IPS officers are among the mentors for 42 government schools of Chandigarh under the UT administration's mentorship programme — 'Adopt a School, Inspire a Generation', which was recently launched. Under the programme, for each school, one officer, one doctor, one professor and one entrepreneur has been nominated as a mentor. The IAS officer-turned-mentors are: Rajeev Verma, Mandip Singh Brar, Nishant Kumar Yadav, Ajay Chagti, Hari Kallikkat, Swapnil M Naik, Prerna Puri, Moh Mansoor L, Amit Kumar, Pardeep Kumar, Chaudhary Abhijit Vijay and Diprava Lakra. The IPS officers who have been assigned the responsibility of a mentor are: Pushpendra Kumar, Kanwardeep Kaur and Sumer Pratap Singh. Rajeev Verma, who is UT Chief Secretary, will be mentor for the students of PM SHRI Government Girls Model Senior Secondary School (Sector -18), while UT Home Secretary Mandip Singh Brar will be mentor for Government Model Senior Secondary School (Sector-16). Panjab University Registrar Yajvender Pal Verma will be mentor for the students of Government Model Senior Secondary Sector-8, while the Regional Convener for the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rupesh Singh will be the mentor for Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector-21A. UT School Education Director HS Brar said that the programme is designed as a 'sustained long-term engagement' wherein the mentors are expected to ensure continuity of support to the school, students and teachers, through at least one in-person school visit each month and supplemented by relevant follow-up activities. 'While this structured initiative is broadly well set, yet it gives enough flexibility to the mentors to whittling down a shared vision for a vibrant, progressive school education system in the 'City Beautiful',' he added.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
IEEE I2ITCON 2025 recognizes cutting-edge research with best paper awards
PUNE: The IEEE I2ITCON 2025 conference, technically co-sponsored by the IEEE Pune Section, concluded on a high note on July 5 at The Hope Foundation and Research Centre - International Institute of Information Technology (I²IT), Pune. The prestigious two-day event, held on July 4 and 5, brought together leading researchers, academicians, and industry experts from across the globe to showcase and deliberate on innovations in AI, computing, and emerging technologies, a statement issues hy the organisers said. This year, the conference witnessed an overwhelming response, with over 2,500 paper submissions from researchers worldwide. Out of these, 236 papers were shortlisted and presented across various technical tracks. In a keenly awaited valedictory session, four outstanding papers were conferred with the coveted Best Paper Award, recognizing exemplary contributions in advancing technology and research. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune In the AI, ML & Deep Learning track, the paper titled 'GovernAI: Policy-Driven Model Governance for Dynamic and Multi-Tenant AI Systems', authored by Sana Zia Hassan, Karan Alang, Nagarjuna Nellutla, Shrinivass Arunachalam Balasubramanian, and Vamshidhar Morusu, was awarded for its pioneering approach to managing AI systems in complex, multi-tenant environments. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo Another paper from the same track, 'Differentially Private Pipelines: Practical Approaches for Large-Scale Feature Stores', by Pooja Devaraju, Satya Manesh Veerapaneni, Ram Ghadiyaram, Jaya Eripilla, and Sudeep Acharya, was recognized for its innovative techniques ensuring privacy in large-scale AI data pipelines. In the Computing Technologies track, the award-winning paper 'A Framework for Intelligent Cloud Systems: Enabling Secure, Policy-Driven, and Sustainable AI at Scale', authored by Lakshman Kumar Jamili, Sumeer Basha Peta, Ranganath Nagesh Taware, Balaji Krishnan, and Srikanth Perla, impressed the jury with its vision for scalable and secure AI deployments. Another paper titled 'Training AI to Simulate Reality Through Self-Constructed Representations', by Rohan Shahane, Shazia Hassan, Nandita Giri, Sashi Kiran Kaata, and Vijayakumar Krishnapillai, was honored for its innovative approach to bridging the gap between AI learning and real-world simulations. The conference underscored Pune's growing prominence as a hub for technological innovation and research, providing a robust platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration. With its diverse and forward-looking discussions, IEEE I2ITCON 2025 reaffirmed its commitment to shaping the future of technology.
Hindustan Times
30-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Centre issues model rules for tree felling on farm land for agroforestry
The Centre has issued model rules for the felling of trees on agricultural land in a bid to promote agroforestry with the aim of doubling farmers' incomes, increasing tree cover outside forests and mitigating climate change. Centre issues model rules for tree felling on farm land for agroforestry In a letter sent to all state governments on June 19, the environment ministry said the objective of 'Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Lands' is to enhance the ease of doing business in agroforestry and incentivise farmers to integrate trees into their farming systems without facing undue procedural hurdles. 'The Model Rules aim to establish a streamlined regulatory framework by providing simplified procedures for registering agroforestry lands and managing tree harvesting and promoting domestic timber production through agroforestry, the approach seeks to close the demand-supply gap, support wood-based industries with locally sourced raw materials and boost exports,' the environment ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Under the new rules, 'agricultural land' means lands used for the purpose of agriculture as categorised by the state government and 'applicant' refers to any individual, institution, organisation owning agricultural lands seeking to register under this rule. According to the model rules, applicants are required to register their plantations on the National Timber Management System (NTMS) portal, which is being developed. This involves submitting basic plantation data including, land ownership information, location of the farm with KML file, species, plantation period etc. The applicants can periodically update the plantation information and upload geotagged photos of the plantation to ensure traceability. Applicants wishing to harvest trees from registered plantations can apply online through the National Timber Management System, providing specific details of the trees intended for felling. Verifying agencies will carry out site inspections and based on their verification reports, tree felling permits will be issued for agricultural lands. The Divisional Forest Officers will oversee the performance of these agencies through periodic supervision and monitoring. The ministry of environment, forest and climate change has requested states and UTs to examine the model rules and consider their adoption. These rules are to be notified by the state government or UT administration under the relevant section. The Centre has also said in the rules that there is a need to promote high-value timber species, enabling India to 'achieve self-reliance in timber production and emerge as a global leader in sustainable timber markets'. The promotion of agroforestry aligns with the objectives of the National Agroforestry Policy, 2014, and India's commitments under international frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, it has added. HT had reported on June 18 on the National Mission for Green India document released by the environment ministry which also seeks to boost plantations. The largest potential of creating additional carbon sinks is through restoration of degraded forests which have impaired in the last 15 to 20 years, along with afforestation of open forests, wastelands and agroforestry, the document said. Restoration of natural forests through plantations can contribute up to 60% of the total carbon sink which can be achieved by 2030. It is also indicated by the Forest Survey of India evaluation that to bring about an increase in carbon sink (CO2 equivalent billion tonnes) by 2.51 and 3.39 by 2030, as committed by India in its nationally determined contribution (NDC) under Paris Agreement, a corresponding increase of 18.71 and 24.69 million hectares of enhanced forest and tree cover area would be required respectively. The Green India Mission is being implemented during the 10 year period from 2021 to 2030. A part of these plantation activities have already taken place. Annual afforestation/ tree plantation at the current trend of over 2 million hectares should cover another 12 mha during 2025-30, the report has said. Ten categories of activities have been considered by the FSI for the potential increase in carbon sink and forest cover in the country and include afforestation of 1. impaired forests, 2. open forests, 3. wastelands, 4. agroforestry, 5. setting up of green corridors, 6. undertaking plantations along roads 7. and railways, 8. on railway sidings, 8. along rivers and canals and 9. the creation of urban green spaces. 'Instituting a functional system of verifying agencies to substantiate and facilitate the timely issuance of tree felling permits in a cost-effective manner is a welcome step in the agroforestry ecosystem. It will also facilitate traceability of wood sources, a key requirement for exports. Currently, some non-forest species are de-regulated — such as eucalyptus and poplar, harvesting high-value species like teak pose significant regulatory burdens on both the regulating state functionaries and the regulated farmers, with delays and high costs. However, the verification system should also assess for conditions where certain trees of natural origin should not be cut for their environmental benefits such as a tree attracting lots of nesting birds,' said forest policy expert Chetan Agarwal.
