Mumbai: The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on Sunday called on the aviation safety regulator DGCA to conduct a thorough inspection of the electrical systems in all Boeing 787 aircraft operating in India. The request came a day after an Air India Boeing 787 flight from Amritsar to Birmingham experienced an unexpected deployment of the emergency Ram Air Turbine (RAT) during its final approach to the UK city.

In a letter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), FIP President G S Randhawa explained that the incident involved the automatic deployment of the RAT at 500 feet on approach, triggered by a fault detected in the Bus Power Control Unit (BPCU), which manages the aircraft’s electrical power system.

“The (Birmingham flight) incident occurred when the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed automatically at 500 ft on approach into Birmingham... the Aircraft Health Monitoring (AHM) has picked up a fault of the Bus Power Control Unit (BPCU) which may have caused the auto deployment of RAT,” the pilots’ body said.

The RAT is designed to deploy automatically in cases of dual engine failure or total electronic or hydraulic failure, using wind speed to generate emergency power. The incident raises concerns following the Air India Boeing 787 crash in June this year, which claimed 260 lives.

FIP highlighted that “There have been numerous incidents on B-787 aircraft. We have strongly taken up with the Civil Aviation Ministry and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to thoroughly check the electrical system of all B-787 aircraft in the country.”

Following the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI 171 shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, the AAIB’s preliminary report noted that the aircraft’s engine fuel control switches were cut off seconds after lift-off. The investigation is ongoing.

FIP further added, “After the Air India -171 crash, the FIP has been constantly insisting on thorough check up of the electrical system of B-787 aircraft in the country. Subsequent to the crash, DGCA checked only the fuel control switches of B-787 in Air India (fleet).”

The pilots’ association urged the DGCA to act urgently, stating, “It is pertinent to note that incident in another pointer towards the Air India crash of B-787 aircraft. Thus, in the interest of air safety FIP insists that DGCA must thoroughly check and investigate the electrical system of B-787 aircraft in the country.”