DGCA orders reinspection of emergency power units on AI Boeing 787s
India’s aviation safety regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has directed Air India to conduct a reinspection of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) storage system across all Boeing 787 aircraft that recently underwent replacement of their Power Conditioning Module (PCM).
This directive follows two recent safety incidents involving the airline’s Boeing 787 fleet, raising concerns about possible systemic issues. The regulator has also asked US aircraft manufacturer Boeing to submit a detailed report on preventive actions related to the uncommanded deployment of the RAT — a critical emergency component used to generate power in the event of electrical or hydraulic failure.
The most recent event occurred on October 9, when Air India flight AI-154, enroute from Vienna to Delhi, experienced a sudden autopilot system failure mid-air, prompting the pilots to divert the aircraft to Dubai. Days earlier, on October 4, the RAT was unexpectedly deployed just before landing during flight AI-117 from Amritsar to Birmingham.
In both incidents, the aircraft landed safely and without injury. However, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to take immediate action, including grounding the entire Boeing 787 fleet operated by Air India and initiating a comprehensive safety audit.
A senior DGCA official said Air India has been instructed to reinspect the RAT stowage configuration on all 787 aircraft where the PCM — an essential electrical unit responsible for distributing and regulating onboard power — has recently been changed. “The work package for the aircraft’s ‘D’ Check should also be reviewed, specifically considering the PCM replacement, to ensure no discrepancies are overlooked,” the official added.
The RAT, a turbine powered by wind during flight, automatically deploys when standard power sources fail. According to the DGCA, during the October 4 incident, the RAT was triggered at an altitude of 400 feet on approach to landing. The flight crew did not report any anomalies, and the aircraft completed a safe landing. Boeing-recommended maintenance checks were carried out following the incident, with no faults found.
The DGCA has formally asked Boeing to provide a global overview of any similar RAT deployment incidents involving the 787 series. It has also requested data on service difficulties reported by operators worldwide following PCM module changes, as noted in Boeing’s internal maintenance digests.
Air India has denied reports of a full electrical failure on the Vienna-Delhi flight but acknowledged a “technical issue” led to the diversion. However, the pilots’ association’s letter paints a more alarming picture, describing simultaneous failures of critical flight systems, including autopilot, instrument landing systems (ILS), and degraded flight controls. Pilots were reportedly forced to operate the aircraft manually during night operations, with limited assistance from onboard systems.
The FIP’s letter stated, “The situation created a hazardous flight environment. Without autopilot, degraded flight control systems, and no Autoland capability, the crew was left with no option but to divert.”
These latest events have revived concerns about Air India’s operational safety, especially following a catastrophic crash earlier this year. On June 12, a Boeing 787-8 operating as flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off, killing all 260 people onboard — one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Indian history.
As the DGCA deepens its investigation, both Boeing and Air India face mounting pressure to address safety issues proactively. With Air India’s 787 fleet under increasing scrutiny, regulators and aviation experts will be closely watching how the airline and the aircraft manufacturer respond to these recent warnings.
