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Air India on Wednesday said it has completed precautionary inspections of the Fuel Control Switch (FCS) across all its operational Boeing 787 aircraft, and no issues were identified during the checks.
The inspections were carried out after an Air India pilot reported a possible defect with the FCS on a Boeing 787-8 that operated a flight from London Heathrow to Bengaluru on Sunday. The aircraft, carrying over 200 passengers, landed safely in Bengaluru on Monday morning and was temporarily grounded for thorough checks.
In a statement, the airline said the inspections were undertaken “in an abundance of caution" following the pilot’s observation. “No issues were identified during these checks. The inspections were undertaken in an abundance of caution following an observation reported by one of our pilots," the statement said.
“We acknowledge the regulator’s proactive oversight in conducting independent inspections and subsequently clearing the FCS," it added.
Currently, Air India operates 33 Boeing 787 aircraft, of which 28 are in active service. The airline added that it will fully follow the regulator’s guidance to circulate Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) recommended operating procedures for the FCS to all crew members.
The issue came to attention after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted an initial examination and found that “apparently correct procedure" was not followed in operating the fuel control switch. The regulator has directed the airline to ensure that proper procedures are followed by crew at all times.
The functioning of the FCS has been under focus since last June, when an Air India Boeing 787-8 crash killed 260 people. The preliminary probe report had mentioned that fuel supply was cut off shortly after take-off.
The airline reiterated that the safety of passengers and crew remains its highest priority, adding, “Air India will fully adhere to the regulator’s guidance to circulate OEM-recommended operating procedures for the operation of the FCS to all crew members."
