DGCA probes incident faced on landing at Birmingham, Pg17.

Key Highlights:

• Air India flight AI-117 experienced an unexpected deployment of its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) during landing in Birmingham.
• The Boeing 787-8 aircraft was flying from Amritsar when the incident occurred at an altitude of 400 feet.
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the incident, which happened last week.
• The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged the DGCA to inspect the electrical systems of all Boeing 787 aircraft operating in India.

Detailed Insights:

• The RAT is an emergency power system that automatically deploys during total electrical failure, hydraulic failure, or dual engine failure, or can be manually deployed by pilots.
• An accidental automatic RAT deployment in the absence of an emergency is an extremely unusual occurrence.
• The RAT generates power from the airstream by injecting ram pressure, powering vital systems like flight controls, instrumentation, navigation, and communication equipment.
• The incident has raised concerns about the safety of Boeing 787 aircraft, especially after the Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad on June 12.
• Post incident, all checks and Boeing-recommended maintenance actions for uncommanded RAT deployment were carried out, and no discrepancy was observed, according to DGCA officials.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Ram Air Turbine (RAT): A wind turbine on an aircraft that deploys in emergencies to provide power to essential systems.
• Auxiliary Power Units (APUs): Devices on aircraft that provide power to critical systems when engines fail.
• Electrical and Hydraulic Parameters: Systems that control the aircraft's functions, including flight controls and landing gear.