Fuel switch checks completed across Boeing 787 fleet, no defects found: Air India

Air India on Wednesday said it had completed precautionary re-inspections of the fuel control switch (FCS) across all operational Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet, with no issues identified, marking the third straight day of disclosures following the AI132 fuel switch observation that brought the Dreamliner fleet under scrutiny.

The airline said the inspections were carried out “in an abundance of caution” after one of its pilots reported abnormal behaviour of the fuel control switch on a London-Bengaluru flight earlier this week. The development comes amid heightened regulatory attention and in the wider backdrop of the ongoing probe into the AI171 crash, where investigators are examining the role of a the switch for cutting the supply of fuel.

“Air India has completed precautionary re-inspections of the Fuel Control Switch (FCS) across all operational Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet. No issues were identified during these checks,” an Air India spokesperson said, adding that the airline acknowledged the aviation regulator’s proactive oversight in conducting independent inspections and subsequently clearing the FCS.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation had earlier said the AI132 flight was completed without incident, with no abnormal engine parameters or warnings recorded, and that engineering checks conducted in the presence of the DGCA officers found the switches within prescribed limits. The regulator also noted that a video circulating on social media demonstrated an incorrect procedure for operating the fuel cut-off switch.

Air India said it would fully adhere to the regulator’s guidance to circulate OEM-recommended operating procedures for the operation of the FCS to all crew members, reinforcing reporting and handling protocols.

The airline’s statement comes a day after it confirmed that the specific fuel control switch module involved would be replaced and sent to Boeing for detailed evaluation, despite the component having logged less than 20 per cent of its certified service life.