An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner traveling from Vienna to Delhi was forced to divert to Dubai on Thursday night following a significant technical issue involving the aircraft's autopilot system. This incident marks the second safety concern with Air India's B787 fleet in just one week, prompting the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) to demand the immediate grounding of all Dreamliner aircraft for inspection.
Key Takeaways
- An Air India Boeing 787 flight from Vienna to Delhi diverted to Dubai due to an autopilot system failure.
- The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged regulators to ground the entire Air India B787 fleet, citing ongoing electrical problems.
- This is the second technical incident involving an Air India Dreamliner in a single week, following an unexpected Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployment on another flight.
- Air India confirmed the diversion but stated there was no electrical failure and passenger safety was not compromised.
Vienna to Delhi Flight Diverted
The aircraft, identified as flight AI 154 with registration VT-ANC, experienced a technical snag while en route to Delhi from Vienna. The pilots successfully diverted the plane to Dubai International Airport, where it landed without incident. According to a statement from Air India, the issue was resolved after the autopilot system was reset.
The same aircraft later continued its journey to Delhi, departing from Dubai at 8:45 am IST and arriving at Indira Gandhi International Airport at 12:19 pm IST on Friday. The airline stated that all passengers were kept informed of the delay and provided with refreshments during the stopover.
Background on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a wide-body aircraft known for its fuel efficiency and advanced composite materials. However, the aircraft has faced scrutiny over the years for various technical issues, particularly concerning its complex electrical systems and lithium-ion batteries, which led to a worldwide grounding in 2013.
Pilot Union Demands Fleet Grounding
In response to the diversion, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) sent a formal communication to the Indian aviation ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The union expressed grave concerns over what it described as "continuous electrical problems" affecting Air India's Boeing 787 fleet.
The FIP has called for two immediate actions: the grounding of all B787 aircraft operated by the airline and a "special audit" of Air India's aircraft maintenance procedures. The union's letter detailed the severity of the incident on flight AI 154.
"The aircraft experienced failures across critical systems which included Autopilots, instrument landing system and flight control system degradation with no autoland capability," the FIP stated. The union added, "The pilots could not engage the autopilots due electrical malfunctions; thus, pilots were constrained to fly manually at night and divert to Dubai."
The FIP praised the pilots for their skill in safely handling the aircraft under challenging conditions with limited automation. The union emphasized that two significant electrical incidents in such a short period suggest potential issues with the airline's serviceability standards.
A Second Incident in One Week
The call for grounding comes just days after another technical event involving an Air India Dreamliner. On Saturday, October 4, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) on flight AI-117 from Amritsar deployed unexpectedly during its final approach to Birmingham, UK.
What is a Ram Air Turbine (RAT)?
A Ram Air Turbine is a small emergency propeller that deploys from an aircraft's fuselage to generate power for essential flight systems if the primary and auxiliary power sources fail. An uncommanded deployment is a serious event that requires investigation.
Air India addressed the RAT incident, stating that the crew observed normal electrical and hydraulic parameters throughout the flight and the aircraft landed safely. The airline described the deployment as "uncommanded" and noted that it was "consistent with similar occurrences with other airlines in the past, as reported by Boeing."
Air India confirmed that the deployment was not caused by a system fault or pilot action. The aircraft was temporarily grounded for inspection before being cleared for service, operating a flight from Birmingham to Delhi on October 5.
Regulatory Scrutiny and Official Response
Indian aviation authorities are actively investigating the recent events. The DGCA is currently probing the RAT deployment incident from October 4. Separately, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is still investigating a previous incident involving an AI Dreamliner crash on June 12 (flight AI 171).
In its response to the FIP's concerns, an Air India spokesperson reiterated the airline's commitment to safety.
"At Air India, the safety of passengers and crew remain top priority... there was (no) electrical failure in the said aircraft," the spokesperson clarified regarding the Vienna-Delhi flight diversion.
The airline maintains that its Boeing 787s are safe to operate and have undergone extensive checks. However, the back-to-back incidents have placed Air India's maintenance protocols and the reliability of its Dreamliner fleet under increased scrutiny from pilots and regulators alike.