Here’s How Air India Completes Fuel Switch Checks On Boeing 737 & 787 No Issues Found Know More Here

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Air India has conducted information checks of its Boeing 737 and B787 craft pursuing a probe ordered into nan clang of a carrier’s level successful Kerala that killed 18 people. The airline, which started inspections connected July, 12, said it recovered nary issues pinch nan plane’s locking mechanisms. The checks had been prompted by an bid from nan Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which was itself responding to interest complete nan position of substance switches pursuing nan Air India Flight 171 crash. With this finish, nan hose is assured nan Boeing fleet is good preserved and not operating astatine risk, while different carriers astir nan world are pursuing akin checks.

Air India Finishes Safety Checks After Fuel Switches Turned Off

Following nan tragic mishap of Air-India formation 171, information investigator’s attentions were directed towards nan Fuel Control Switches installed successful Boeing 737 and 787 aircraft. Focus had been connected whether these switches were successful nan CUTOFF position by mishap aliases creation and could person contributed to nan crash. [Air India] initiated a full-scale reappraisal of its full fleet, including its Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s and Air India Express’s Boeing 737 planes.

A connection from nan hose says, nan locking system of nan substance switches was not recovered to person been astatine fault, and connected reference retired nan connections of nan substance switches, they were each normal. This is accordant pinch abstracted assertions from Boeing and nan FAA that nan substance switches connected nan Boeing 787 were safe and operated arsenic required.

What Happened successful nan Flight 171 Crash?

The investigation into nan clang of Air India Flight 171 revealed a funny hint nan substance switches were group from RUN to CUTOFF and past backmost to RUN deliberately and quickly, successful a span of astir 10 seconds. Investigators are leaning connected whether nan action was a deliberate aliases accidental 1 and really it could consequence successful an motor nonaccomplishment successful flight.

Although Fuel Control Switches should beryllium successful nan RUN position successful normal flight, they whitethorn beryllium placed successful CUTOFF position during an emergency (engine nonaccomplishment aliases vertebrate strike) situation. The closeness of nan 2 switches to nan aforesaid position astatine astir nan aforesaid clip was what made it look for illustration it had been intentional. The skipper was overheard connected nan cockpit sound recorder (CVR) telling nan first serviceman that he had not moved nan switches, contempt grounds to nan contrary.

DGCA directs checks for full Indian aviation industry

After nan crash, India’s aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), directed Air India and different Indian carriers to behaviour nan aforesaid checks for substance switches successful each Boeing fleets successful nan country. This is simply a preventive measurement amid a broader effort to spell beyond immoderate problems successful nan hose industry’s different Boeing planes.

South Korea, meanwhile, has moved to protect its ain airlines arsenic well. In nan aftermath of nan Jeju Air Flight 2216 mishap that had a Boeing 737-800 involved, South Korean regulators are demanding nan aforesaid checks connected each Boeing craft operating pending successful nan country.

What is nan Function of a Fuel Control Switch?

The Fuel Control Switches are an important constituent relating to really an aircraft’s motor operates. These switches power nan travel of substance to nan engines, and are usually placed successful nan RUN position anterior to taking off. Unless it is simply a matter of emergency, they enactment that measurement successful flight.

For nan Boeing 787, these switches are conveniently located connected nan halfway pedestal betwixt some pilots. Guards against accidental movement, and a locking system pinch nan switches pulled up first earlier nan levers are activated. The creation is intended to forestall inadvertent adjustments of nan substance travel successful normal service.

Findings from Air India’s Checks

The inspection process conducted by Air India entailed examining each of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners and nan Boeing 737 planes flown by its Air India Express portion for issues related to nan substance switches. Fortunately, nary discrepancies were found. The airline’s reappraisal validated erstwhile examinations by Boeing and nan FAA, which supported nan safe cognition of nan substance switches.

However, this tragic incident pinch Air India Flight 171 has thrown up immoderate important issues astir nan regularisation of these aircraft. It’s a sobering reminder that – truthful agelong arsenic instrumentality is functioning perfectly arsenic planned – random and “low risk” situations tin still lead to fatal accidents.

Global Response and Future Precautions

The 2018 FAA advisory that called for nan inspection of substance switches connected definite Boeing models has taken connected peculiar urgency successful nan aftermath of those incidents. Originally it had been drafted to debar an inadvertent shift, but it has since go a cardinal portion of nan attraction for nan inquiry.

As for nan future, these information checks whitethorn go modular operating process for Boeing users globally. The investigation of Air India Flight 171 remains successful nan early stages, pinch a last study owed successful astir a year. But nan early returns and nan airline’s vigilance show really nan manufacture has been wished to ferret retired and hole immoderate information issues.