New Delhi: India’s aviation security regulator, the Directorate Common of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has requested Air India to reinspect the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) system on all its Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane. The directive applies to aircrafts the place the Energy Conditioning Module (PCM) was not too long ago changed. The transfer comes after two current technical incidents involving Air India’s Boeing 787 jets inside only a few days.

The DGCA has additionally directed Boeing, the plane’s US-based producer, to submit an in depth report outlining preventive measures to keep away from such incidents sooner or later. The regulator has additional sought info on related RAT deployment circumstances reported worldwide on Boeing 787 plane and any service problem stories following PCM replacements.

The choice follows two severe mid-air technical points reported this month. On October 4, the RAT on Air India’s Amritsar-Birmingham flight (AI-117) deployed robotically simply earlier than touchdown. Then, on October 9, one other Dreamliner working the Vienna-Delhi flight (AI-154) needed to divert to Dubai after its autopilot system failed mid-flight, inflicting a number of technical malfunctions.

For context, a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) is an emergency energy gadget that deploys robotically if the plane loses its fundamental energy. It makes use of wind power to generate electrical energy to maintain crucial methods working.

In accordance with a DGCA official, Air India has been requested to reinspect all plane the place the PCM module — a necessary electrical element that manages energy distribution throughout the plane — was changed not too long ago.

The airline has additionally been suggested to overview the work package deal of the “D” examine (a serious plane upkeep examine) to make sure all crucial actions have been taken after PCM replacements.

Through the October 4 incident, the RAT unlock message appeared at round 400 toes earlier than touchdown, however the pilots reported no abnormalities, and the plane landed safely.

Boeing-recommended upkeep checks have been later carried out, and no defects have been discovered. The plane was subsequently cleared for service and flown again to Delhi on October 5.

Air India, nonetheless, has denied stories suggesting {an electrical} failure within the plane that diverted to Dubai.

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), in a letter to the Civil Aviation Minister, claimed that the Vienna–Delhi flight had skilled a number of system failures, together with points with autopilot, flight administrators, and the instrument touchdown system, forcing pilots to fly manually at night time and divert the airplane to Dubai.

The pilots’ physique additionally referred to as for grounding the whole Boeing 787 fleet and conducting a particular security audit of Air India.

The DGCA’s investigation into each incidents is at the moment underway. The regulator mentioned it’ll take additional motion after receiving Boeing’s report and reviewing Air India’s inspection findings.