Latest news with #ThrottleControlModule
News18
21 minutes ago
- General
- News18
India Sees 11 Mayday Calls In 17 Months, 65 In-Flight Engine Shutdowns In 5 Years: Report
Sixty-five in-flight engine shutdowns since 2020, and 11 Mayday calls in just 17 months were reported in India, a report has claimed. India has witnessed 65 in-flight engine shutdowns over the past five years and 11 Mayday distress calls from aircraft cockpits in just 17 months, according to data obtained by The Times of India through a Right to Information (RTI) query to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The numbers do not include the Air India flight to London, which crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, or a domestic IndiGo flight that had to be diverted recently. However, the data covers all engine shutdowns, including failures during take-off and mid-air, and points to an average of one engine malfunction per month. In all cases, the aircraft were safely landed by the crew using the unaffected engine. Experts cited causes such as fuel contamination, blocked filters, turbine faults, and foreign object ingestion. 'Primary causes of engine shutdowns include blocked fuel filters, fuel contamination with water, interrupted fuel supply to engines, and foreign objects entering the engine stack, all of which can halt flight operations," Capt CS Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots, told TOI. From January 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025, 11 Mayday calls were issued, all involving technical glitches. Four of these flights landed in Hyderabad. The IndiGo flight on June 19 from Guwahati to Chennai, diverted to Bengaluru due to congestion and reporting low fuel before landing, was not part of the 11. 'Flight crew initiate MAYDAY calls when confronted with critical emergencies such as aircraft fires, engine failures or situations posing imminent danger, necessitating immediate landing or grounding as continued flight becomes unsafe," Anil Rao, secretary of the Airline Pilots' Association of India, told TOI. AX Joseph, DGCA's director of air safety, stated that the regulator is responsible for issuing civil aviation requirements, circulars, and public notices to ensure safety compliance. While experts acknowledge that such shutdowns and Maydays are not rare globally, the data underscores concerns over India's aviation safety record. The report comes as the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report on the June 12 Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people. The report had mentioned that Air India had replaced the Throttle Control Module (TCM) of the crashed Boeing 787-8 plane twice in the last six years following a directive from Boeing in 2019. It also said the TCM replacement was not linked to the fuel control switches. On Monday, DGCA directed airlines to inspect the fuel switch locking system in their Boeing 787 and 737 planes. There are more than 150 Boeing 737s and 787s being operated by Indian airlines. Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, SpiceJet and IndiGo are the domestic carriers operating these aircraft. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
Air India replaced module in cockpit in crashed Dreamliner following Boeing directive
NEW DELHI: Air India replaced the Throttle Control Module (TCM) of the crashed Boeing 787-8 plane twice in the last six years following a directive from Boeing in 2019, according to sources. TCM includes fuel control switches, which have come to focus in the ongoing probe into the fatal crash as these switches were cut off immediately after takeoff of the ill-fated London-bound Dreamliner VT-ANB that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. The replacement of the TCM twice -- in 2019 and 2023 -- was mentioned in the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary probe report into the crash that was released on Saturday. It also said the TCM replacement was not linked to the fuel control switches. The sources told PTI on Sunday that a revised maintenance planning document (MPD) was issued by Boeing for all the operators of the Dreamliners in 2019. As per the MPD, the operators have to change the TCM, which includes the fuel control switches, every 24,000 flight hours, the sources said. Since 2019, when the MPD was issued, the source said Air India changed the TCM in the ill-fated aircraft twice -- in 2019 and 2023. Queries to the Air India remained unanswered. Specific details about the MPD could not be immediately ascertained.
Time of India
a day ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Air India replaced module in cockpit in crashed Dreamliner following Boeing directive
Air India replaced the Throttle Control Module (TCM) of the crashed Boeing 787-8 plane twice in the last six years following a directive from Boeing in 2019, sources said on Sunday. TCM includes fuel control switches, which have come to focus in the ongoing probe into the fatal crash as these switches were cut off immediately after takeoff of the ill-fated London-bound Dreamliner VT-ANB that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. The replacement of the TCM twice -- in 2019 and 2023 -- was mentioned in the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary probe report into the crash that was released on Saturday. It also said the TCM replacement was not linked to the fuel control switches. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like When Knee Pain Hits, Start Eating These Foods, and Feel Your Pain Go Away (It's Genius) Read More Undo The source told PTI that a revised Maintenance Planning Document (MPD) was issued by Boeing for all the operators of the Dreamliners in 2019. As per the MPD, the operators have to change the TCM, which includes the fuel control switches, every 24,000 flight hours, the sources said. Live Events Since 2019, when the MPD was issued, the source said Air India changed the TCM in the ill-fated aircraft twice -- in 2019 and 2023. Queries sent to Air India remained unanswered. Specific details about the MPD could not be immediately ascertained. In response to questions sent to Boeing, a company spokesperson on Sunday referred to its statement issued on Saturday saying it will continue to support the investigation and Air India. "We will defer to the AAIB to provide information about AI171, in adherence with the UN International Civil Aviation Organization protocol known as Annex 13," the spokesperson said in the emailed statement. AAIB, in its report on Saturday, said that at this stage of investigation, "there are no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers". Air India's Dreamliner VT-ANB, which crashed on June 12, was powered by GEnx-1B engines. According to the report, FAA issued Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin on December 17, 2018, regarding the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature. "This SAIB was issued based on reports from operators of Model 737 airplanes that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged. The airworthiness concern was not considered an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive by the FAA," it said. AAIB also said the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models including part number 4TL837-3D, which is fitted in B787-8 aircraft VT-ANB. "As per the information from Air India, the suggested inspections were not carried out as the SAIB was advisory and not mandatory. The scrutiny of maintenance records revealed that the throttle control module was replaced on VT-ANB in 2019 and 2023. "However, the reason for the replacement was not linked to the fuel control switch. There has been no defect reported pertaining to the fuel control switch since 2023 on VT-ANB," the report said. After being in cut-off mode, the fuel control switches of the aircraft's two engines were turned on later but the London-bound aircraft could not get enough thrust and altitude before it crashed into a building in Ahmedabad killing 260 people.
