DGCA makes BIG statement on Air India 787 Dreamliner, says, ‘Surveillance on Boeing 787 fleet did not...’

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday said that it did not find any major safety concerns with Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. The surveillance conducted on Air India's Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns, said the aviation watchdog after a meeting with senior officials of Air India. 

“The recent surveillance conducted on Air India's Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns. The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards," the DGCA said in a statement. Air India's fleet has 33 Boeing 787-8/9 airplanes. The DGCA also said 24 of Air India's 33 Boeing 787 aircraft had completed an "enhanced safety inspection". 

The aviation watchdog’s review also included an analysis of recent operational data, with a focus on Air India’s wide-body operations, particularly the Boeing 787 aircraft. DGCA last week ordered enhanced safety inspections of Air India’s Boeing 787-8/9 fleet, following the devastating crash of the Tata Group airline’s London-bound flight, within seconds of take-off from the Ahmedabad airport. 

As a preventive measure, the DGCA directed Air India to carry out additional maintenance actions on Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft equipped with Genx engines with immediate effect in coordination with the regional offices concerned of the DGCA. These include a one-time check before departure of flight from India with effect from June 15 onwards, inspection of fuel parameter monitoring and associated system checks, as well as inspection of cabin air compressor and associated systems. 

Air India also had to carry out an electronic engine control system test, an engine fuel-driven actuator-operational test, and an oil system check. Besides, the airline had to carry out a serviceability check of the aircraft hydraulic system, review of take-off parameters, and introduce 'Flight Control Inspection' in transit inspection till further notice. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from IANS)