DGCA orders Air India to reinspect RAT in all 787, seeks report from Boeing after unexpected deployment

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation regulator, has sought a detailed report from Boeing following the unexpected deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) on Air India flight AI-117 at Birmingham earlier this month.

The DGCA has also advised Air India to reinspect the RAT stowage on all affected aircraft, particularly those with recently replaced power conditioning modules (PCMs).

“Boeing has been requested to submit a comprehensive report outlining preventive measures for the uncommanded RAT deployment incident, global data on similar events in the Boeing 787 fleet, and details of any service difficulty reports following PCM changes,” a senior DGCA official said to news agency ANI.

The RAT is an emergency system that provides backup power if an aircraft loses engines, hydraulics, or electrical systems.

The regulator also directed Air India to review the “D” Check work package to ensure all actions related to PCM replacement have been properly completed.

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The official added that RAT stowage would be re-inspected on all Boeing 787 aircraft with recently replaced PCM modules.

Flight AI-117, a Boeing 787-8 (VT-ANO), was en route from Amritsar to Birmingham on 4 October when the RAT deployed unexpectedly at an altitude of 400 feet during landing. The pilot reported no issues, and the aircraft landed safely.

“Further investigation is in process,” the official said, noting that the RAT is a critical safety device that deploys during emergencies such as electrical or hydraulic failures to provide backup power.

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Boeing confirmed that maintenance checks following the incident were completed and no issues were found. The aircraft was cleared for service and returned to Delhi on 5 October.

The DGCA’s investigation aims to determine the cause of the RAT deployment and implement measures to prevent similar incidents.

This development follows two recent incidents involving Air India Boeing 787 aircraft. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has written to the Civil Aviation Minister urging the grounding of the entire Air India 787 fleet and calling for a special audit of the airline.