The US Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FAA) and Boeing argue that the “locking” of the fuel switch on Boeing planes is safe. This is published by Reuters citing a relevant document. All this, on the occasion of the multi -air tragedy with Air India’s Boeing, in which 260 people died.
The tragedy with Air India’s aircraft and the Preliminary report released on Fridayraised questions about the fuel interruption switches, as the report showed that switches that control the flow of fuel on the two engines of the aircraft were turned off …
FAA’s notice to Civil Aviation Authorities, cited by Reuters, states: “Although the design of the fuel control switch, including locking, is similar in various Boeing aircraft models, FAA does not consider that this issue is an unsafe condition which would justify aircraft directive on any Boeing aircraft model, including Model 787. “
When asked to comment, FAA said she had nothing to add beyond the notification.
Boeing also referred to the FAA notification that was sent to airlines in the previous days, which said the manufacturer of aircraft was no action, as two sources with immediate knowledge said.
When she was asked to comment, Boeing referred Reuters’ questions to FAA.
India’s preliminary investigation report on the crash of the crash of the Air Accident Investigation Investigation A 2018 FAA advicewhich recommended, but did not order, to the operators of several Boeing models, including 787, to inspect locking of fuel interruption switch to ensure that it cannot be moved by mistake.
The report said Air India had stated that it did not carry out the FAA inspections, as 2018’s FAA counseling was not a mandate. The report noted that “all applicable airworthiness instructions and warning services were kept on the aircraft as well as on the engines.”
Alpa India, who represents Indian pilots in the International Federation of Montreal Airline Pilot Associations, in a statement on Saturday rejected the presumption of the pilot’s error and requested a “fair, fact -based research”.
“The body of the pilots must now become part of the research, at least as an observer,” Alpa India President Sam Thomas told Reuters.
Alpa India, in a letter posted on X, said the preliminary investigation report refers to the 2018 FAA advice “on the gates of the fuel control switch, which indicates possible equipment dysfunction”.
In the last moments of the flight, one pilot was heard on the pilot’s voice recorder asking the other why he cut the fuel. “The other pilot replied that he didn’t do it,” the report said.
He said that the fuel switches had almost returned from operation to stop immediately after take -off. The report does not mention how switches could have changed during the flight.
Two US security experts said on Saturday that they supported Alpa India’s request to be observers in the survey, but said the research report does not indicate a prejudice to the pilot’s error