Latest news with #aircraftsafety
Globe and Mail
22-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Air India says no issues in locking mechanism of fuel control switches in Boeing fleet
NEW DELHI (AP) — Air India said Tuesday that it had completed precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of fuel control switches for select Boeing aircrafts, with 'no issues' found. The announcement came days after a preliminary investigation into last month's Air India plane crash stated that the switches shifted and flipped within seconds, starving both engines of fuel. Air India operates a fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners for long-distance operations, while subsidiary and low-cost unit Air India Express operates the Boeing 737 jets for short-haul flights. The airline said in a statement that it carried out inspections on its entire fleet of both types of aircraft. 'In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism,' it said. The investigation by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau into the London-bound plane that crashed in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 260 people, is centered around the fuel control switches on the Boeing 787 jetliner. One person survived the crash. Last week, India's aviation regulator ordered all airlines operating several Boeing models to examine fuel control switches and submit their findings to the regulator by July 21. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet, and Air India Express operates 75 Boeing 737 jets. In the past few weeks, the airline has faced disruptions in services amid heightened scrutiny and additional safety inspections, leading to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety. On Monday, an Air India Airbus 320 flight veered off the runway as it landed during heavy rainfall at Mumbai International Airport, partially damaging the underside of one of the plane's engines and leading to a temporary runway closure. The flight had flown from Kochi in the southern state of Kerala. The airline said in a statement that all passengers and crew members disembarked safely and the aircraft was grounded for checks. Indian conglomerate Tata Sons took over Air India in 2022, returning the debt-saddled national carrier to private ownership after decades of government control. The $2.4 billion deal was seen as the government's effort to sell off a loss-making, state-run businesses. It also was in some ways a homecoming for Air India, which was launched by the Tata family in 1932. Since the takeover, Air India has ordered hundreds of new planes worth more than $70 billion, redesigned its branding and livery and absorbed smaller airlines that Tata held stakes in. The company additionally has committed millions of dollars to digital overhauls of aircrafts and refurbishing interiors of more than five dozen legacy planes.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Air India says no issues in locking mechanism of fuel control switches in Boeing fleet
NEW DELHI (AP) — Air India said Tuesday that it had completed precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of fuel control switches for select Boeing aircrafts, with 'no issues' found. The announcement came days after a preliminary investigation into last month's Air India plane crash stated that the switches shifted and flipped within seconds, starving both engines of fuel. Air India operates a fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners for long-distance operations, while subsidiary and low-cost unit Air India Express operates the Boeing 737 jets for short-haul flights. The airline said in a statement that it carried out inspections on its entire fleet of both types of aircraft. 'In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism,' it said. The investigation by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau into the London-bound plane that crashed in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 260 people, is centered around the fuel control switches on the Boeing 787 jetliner. One person survived the crash. Last week, India's aviation regulator ordered all airlines operating several Boeing models to examine fuel control switches and submit their findings to the regulator by July 21. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet, and Air India Express operates 75 Boeing 737 jets. In the past few weeks, the airline has faced disruptions in services amid heightened scrutiny and additional safety inspections, leading to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety. On Monday, an Air India Airbus 320 flight veered off the runway as it landed during heavy rainfall at Mumbai International Airport, partially damaging the underside of one of the plane's engines and leading to a temporary runway closure. The flight had flown from Kochi in the southern state of Kerala. The airline said in a statement that all passengers and crew members disembarked safely and the aircraft was grounded for checks. Indian conglomerate Tata Sons took over Air India in 2022, returning the debt-saddled national carrier to private ownership after decades of government control. The $2.4 billion deal was seen as the government's effort to sell off a loss-making, state-run businesses. It also was in some ways a homecoming for Air India, which was launched by the Tata family in 1932. Since the takeover, Air India has ordered hundreds of new planes worth more than $70 billion, redesigned its branding and livery and absorbed smaller airlines that Tata held stakes in. The company additionally has committed millions of dollars to digital overhauls of aircrafts and refurbishing interiors of more than five dozen legacy planes. Solve the daily Crossword
Associated Press
22-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Air India says no issues in locking mechanism of fuel control switches in Boeing fleet
NEW DELHI (AP) — Air India said Tuesday that it had completed precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of fuel control switches for select Boeing aircrafts, with 'no issues' found. The announcement came days after a preliminary investigation into last month's Air India plane crash stated that the switches shifted and flipped within seconds, starving both engines of fuel. Air India operates a fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners for long-distance operations, while subsidiary and low-cost unit Air India Express operates the Boeing 737 jets for short-haul flights. The airline said in a statement that it carried out inspections on its entire fleet of both types of aircraft. 'In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism,' it said. The investigation by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau into the London-bound plane that crashed in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 260 people, is centered around the fuel control switches on the Boeing 787 jetliner. One person survived the crash. Last week, India's aviation regulator ordered all airlines operating several Boeing models to examine fuel control switches and submit their findings to the regulator by July 21. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet, and Air India Express operates 75 Boeing 737 jets. In the past few weeks, the airline has faced disruptions in services amid heightened scrutiny and additional safety inspections, leading to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety. On Monday, an Air India Airbus 320 flight veered off the runway as it landed during heavy rainfall at Mumbai International Airport, partially damaging the underside of one of the plane's engines and leading to a temporary runway closure. The flight had flown from Kochi in the southern state of Kerala. The airline said in a statement that all passengers and crew members disembarked safely and the aircraft was grounded for checks. Indian conglomerate Tata Sons took over Air India in 2022, returning the debt-saddled national carrier to private ownership after decades of government control. The $2.4 billion deal was seen as the government's effort to sell off a loss-making, state-run businesses. It also was in some ways a homecoming for Air India, which was launched by the Tata family in 1932. Since the takeover, Air India has ordered hundreds of new planes worth more than $70 billion, redesigned its branding and livery and absorbed smaller airlines that Tata held stakes in. The company additionally has committed millions of dollars to digital overhauls of aircrafts and refurbishing interiors of more than five dozen legacy planes.
South China Morning Post
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
Air India crash: carrier completes Boeing fuel switch inspections amid accident probe
Air India said on Tuesday it has completed precautionary inspections of the fuel control switch locking mechanism on all its Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft, with no issues detected. Advertisement The probe into the Air India crash that killed 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground is focused on the fuel control switches of the Boeing 787 jetliner, with a final report from India 's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) expected within a year of the incident. The switches control fuel flow to aircraft engines, allowing pilots to start or shut them down on the ground, or manually intervene during in-flight engine failures. Air India began voluntary inspections of the switches on July 12. India's aviation regulator soon ordered all domestic carriers to conduct similar checks, prompting some foreign airlines and regulators to follow suit. A preliminary report from the AAIB earlier this month found the switches had almost simultaneously flipped from 'run' to 'cut-off' shortly after take-off, causing the engines to lose power. The report cited a 2018 US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory that urged operators of several Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the locking mechanism on fuel cut-off switches to prevent unintentional movement. 02:40 Air India plane bound for London crashes moments after take off in Ahmedabad Air India plane bound for London crashes moments after take off in Ahmedabad The FAA and Boeing have privately issued notifications that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe, Reuters had reported.
Fox News
19-07-2025
- Climate
- Fox News
Marshmallow concrete improves chances of surviving crash landing
A new material looks like regular concrete but crumbles like a marshmallow when a plane lands on it in an emergency. Known as marshmallow concrete, this ultra-light foam absorbs an aircraft's energy and helps bring it to a safe stop during runway overruns. Researchers at the China Building Materials Academy (CBMA) and their partners designed the material to weigh just 12.5 pounds per cubic foot. That's about one-tenth the weight of standard concrete. Its strength comes from a network of microscopic bubbles, each coated with a special maleated rosin. This structure allows the foam to crush in a controlled way and cushion even the heaviest aircraft. "It looks solid, but it crumbles on impact," said Fang Jun, a research and development engineer at CBMA. "That's what allows it to slow planes down smoothly and effectively." Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my The most dangerous parts of any flight are takeoff and landing. To reduce risk, airports use Runway End Safety Areas (RESAs). These zones are meant to stop planes that overshoot the runway. In the past, airports used sand, soil, grass, or water pools for this purpose. But each of these materials has serious drawbacks. Soil becomes unstable in wet or freezing conditions. Water can freeze in winter and attract wildlife, creating new hazards. Sand and grass don't always perform well, especially with heavier aircraft. These weaknesses have made it clear that airports need a more reliable and consistent safety solution. Marshmallow concrete is engineered with a precise strength between 0.30 and 0.35 megapascals. If it's too strong, it won't crush and absorb energy. If it's too weak, it won't slow the plane. The research team compared the process to blowing bubbles into a concrete mix. These bubbles create the soft, crushable texture that helps stop a plane during an emergency. To make the bubbles strong enough to last until impact, the team used a special air-entraining agent. This forms a tough coating around each bubble. As a result, the material stays intact until an aircraft overruns the runway, then it collapses at the right moment to maximize safety. Unlike some international systems that rely on expensive calcium sulfoaluminate cement, marshmallow concrete uses ordinary cement, making it far more affordable for airports, especially those with limited budgets. The team also developed a two-stage strength-control system that helps the material adapt to harsh climates and maintain consistent performance throughout the year. Real-world data from 14 airports in China, including one in the challenging climate of Tibet, show that the material's properties fluctuated by just three percent over a year. This result is well below the design tolerance of ten percent, which means airports can depend on the material to perform reliably, regardless of the weather. With its unique combination of low cost, environmental resilience, and life-saving performance, marshmallow concrete is poised to become the new global standard for runway safety. The material has already been installed at 14 Chinese airports, where it has demonstrated consistent and reliable performance even in extreme conditions. As more airports seek affordable ways to enhance safety, marshmallow concrete offers a promising solution that can save lives and reduce costs worldwide. If you fly in the U.S., whether for business, vacation, or visiting family, marshmallow concrete could soon make your journeys safer. While this breakthrough is currently being used at airports in China, its performance is turning heads worldwide, including among U.S. aviation experts looking for better runway safety solutions. Runway overruns don't happen often in the United States, but when they do, the consequences can be deadly. Think of high-traffic airports like LAX, JFK, or Atlanta, where a single overrun can disrupt thousands of flights and put lives at risk. Marshmallow concrete offers a low-cost, highly effective safety upgrade that could prevent these incidents or dramatically reduce their severity. The best part? This isn't some billion-dollar overhaul. Because it uses standard cement and is designed to work in all kinds of weather, including harsh winters and extreme heat, it's a practical option for airports from Maine to Arizona. That means even smaller regional airports across the U.S. could benefit. You may never see this material, but it could be quietly protecting your flight behind the scenes, ready to absorb impact and bring a plane to a safe stop if something goes wrong. As U.S. airport authorities and the FAA explore more innovative, more cost-effective ways to modernize infrastructure, marshmallow concrete could be one of the safest bets in American aviation's future. Marshmallow concrete is changing the way airports think about safety. By combining strength, flexibility, and affordability, this new material offers airports a smarter way to protect passengers and crews. As more airports around the world look for reliable solutions, marshmallow concrete stands out as a proven option that delivers results. With its impressive performance in real-world conditions, it is easy to see why experts believe this innovation will set a new standard for runway safety. How do you feel about airports using new materials like marshmallow concrete for safety? Let us know by writing us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
