DGCA asks airlines to check fuel switch locking system in Boeing 787, 737 planes
Mumbai, Jul 14 (PTI): Aviation watchdog DGCA on Monday directed airlines to inspect the fuel switch locking system in their Boeing 787 and 737 planes, two days after AAIB's preliminary report said fuel switches were cut off before the Air India plane crash that killed 260 people last month.
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.
Of these, IndiGo has seven B 737 Max 8 and one B787-9. All these are leased planes --either on wet or damp lease-- and so are not registered in India.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), back in 2018, had flagged the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature on certain models of Boeing aircraft, including 787s and 737s.
It was mentioned in a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) but there was no airworthiness directive, indicating that the issue was not a safety concern.
On Monday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said it has come to its notice that several operators- internationally as well as domestic - have initiated inspection on their aircraft fleet as per the FAA's SAIB.
"... all airline operators of the affected aircraft are hereby advised to complete the inspection... no later than 21st July 2025. Inspection plan and report after accomplishment of inspection shall be submitted to this office under intimation to concerned Regional Office," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in an order.
Fuel control switches regulate the flow of fuel into the aircraft engines. In its preliminary report on the Boeing 787-8 crash released on Saturday, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said the fuel supply to both engines of the plane was cut off within a gap of one second, causing confusion in the cockpit soon after take off.
"In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut off? The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said.
AAIB, which mentioned about FAA's SAIB in the report, did not suggest any recommended action.
Air India Group has already started checks of the fuel switch locking system in their Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft.
Sources said the checks of the locking system in more than half of Air India's Boeing 787s have been completed while the checks are almost complete with respect to Boeing 737s.
Tata-owned Air India has a total of 33 wide-body Boeing 787s while Air India Express has around 75 narrow-body 737s.
The sources said the group initiated the voluntary exercise as a precautionary measure.
Akasa Air and SpiceJet operate Boeing 737s. IndiGo also operates Boeing 787 and 737s but they are leased from foreign airlines, which means they won't be subject to the DGCA directive.
In the wake of the AAIB report, globally, some airlines, including Etihad Airways, have initiated steps for inspection of the fuel switch locking system in their Boeing 787s.
Air India flight AI 171, operated with Boeing 787-8, enroute to London Gatwick crashed soon after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 260 people.
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Jadeja, Washington fifties take India to 322/4 at tea
Manchester, Jul 27 (PTI): Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja extended India’s fight on day five of the fourth Test with determined half-centuries, giving the visitors a slender 11-run lead at tea time but more importantly raising visions of a morale boosting draw.
Both Jadeja (53 batting off 102) and Washington (58 batting off 139) batted with a strong purpose to save the game, frustrating a worn out England attack.
At tea, India were 322 for four after collecting 99 runs from a wicketless afternoon session.
Ben Stokes, who looked lethal in his eight over spell in the morning, could not keep up the intensity in the three overs he bowled in the second session.
In a 15-run over from Stokes, Washington pulled the England captain for a six and four to bring up his fifty before Jadeja employed the cut to complete his fifth half-century in six innings.
With not much batting to come and Rishabh Pant injured, it remains to be seen if India can pull off a draw from here.
What made England’s life difficult is that left-arm spinner Liam Dawson (0/70 in 39 overs) was not able to challenge the Indian left-handers enough while Jofra Archer too get could not get a breakthrough post lunch.
The second new ball is now 38 overs old, making batting easier.
In the morning session, Shubman Gill completed a gutsy hundred after Stokes battled through pain to dismiss a well set K L Rahul, leaving India at 223 for four at lunch.
Resuming the day at 174 for two with a deficit of 137, India remained on course to draw the game courtesy a fighting effort from Gill, who brought up his fourth century of the series. The Indian captain fell at the stroke of lunch with the visitors still trailing England by 88 runs.
Considering India’s backs against the walls and series on the line, this could be Gill’s most defining century if India managed to save the match and keep the series alive.
Expecting the ball to come back in, Gill felt for the one from Jofra Archer that shaped away, getting a faint outside edge.
The 188-run marathon stand between Gill and Rahul (90 off 230) was finally broken when the latter was trapped in front by Stokes with a ball that kept a tad low from length.
Soon after, Stokes got one jump to sharply from a similar length that foxed Rahul, leaving the Indian skipper in a lot of pain.
The rising ball first crashed into Gill’s right thumb before taking a piece of his
helmet.
It was remarkable that Stokes, who was not fit enough to bowl on day four, managed an eight-over spell on day five despite discomfort in his right shoulder and hamstring. Like at Lord’s, he did not care much about his injury prone body to help the team’s cause.
The new ball was taken after the 80th over and resulted in the wicket of Gill. Jadeja too would have be gone first ball but Joe Root could not hold on to a tough chance at first slip off Archer.
Brief scores:
India: 358 and 322/4 in 118 overs (KL Rahul 90, Shubman Gill 103, Ravindra Jadeja 53 batting, Washington Sundar 57 batting; Chris Woakes 2/57)
England 1st innings: 669 all out in 157.1 overs (Joe Root 150, Ben Stokes 141, Ben Duckett 94, Zak Crawley 84; Ravindra Jadeja 4/143).
