NEW DELHI: Air India on Tuesday said it has completed checks on the locking mechanism of fuel control switch (FCS) on all its Boeing 787s & also the B737s in AI Express fleet and found nothing wrong with the same.

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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had last Monday directed these checks on all Boeing aircraft used by Indian operators/

“Air India has completed precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of FCS on all Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet. Boeing 737 aircraft are part of the fleet of Air India Express, AI’s low-cost subsidiary. With this, the two airlines have complied with the DGCA’s July 14 directives. In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism. Air India had started voluntary inspections on 12 July and completed them within the prescribed time limit set by the DGCA,” the airline said in a statement

“The same has been communicated to the regulator.

Air India remains committed to the safety of passengers and crew members,” it added.

The Indian DGCA and airlines of some other countries like South Korea and the UAE had also directed checks on FCS of Boeing aircraft following the June 12 AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad. The preliminary probe report said fuel supply to both engines of the AI B787 had got cut off as fuel cutoff switches of the London-bound Dreamliner’s engine 1 and 2 transitioned from “run” to “cutoff” position one after another with a time gap of a second.

While it is not yet known how and why the switches were turned off, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had in December 2018 issued a “special airworthiness information bulletin” (SAIB), regarding potential disengagement of fuel control switch locking mechanism on certain Boeing planes.

Since that “airworthiness concern was not considered an unsafe condition” and “the suggested inspections were not carried out (by Air India) as the SAIB was advisory and not mandatory,” says the AI 171 prelim report.

However, after the AI 171 crash, the checks were ordered.

New Delhi, July 22: Air India on Tuesday said it has completed precautionary inspections on the fuel control switch (FCS) locking mechanisms of all Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet.

The airline stated that no problems were found during the checks, which were conducted in line with safety directives issued by India’s aviation regulator DGCA earlier this month.

“Air India has completed precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of Fuel Control Switch (FCS) on all Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet,” the airline said in a sttaement.

The inspections come in the aftermath of a tragic Air India Boeing Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad last month, in which 260 people lost their lives.

A preliminary report by the Air Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB) revealed that the aircraft’s engines had shut down just seconds after take-off due to fuel supply being cut off.

This led to renewed concerns about the functioning of the engine fuel cut-off switches, which transitioned from ‘Run’ to ‘Cutoff’ unexpectedly.

Following the fatal Ahmedabad crash and the DGCA’s directive issued on July 14, Air India and its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express initiated immediate voluntary inspections.

These began on July 12 and were completed within the time limit set by the regulator.

“In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism. Air India had started voluntary inspections on 12 July and completed them within the prescribed time limit set by the DGCA. The same has been communicated to the regulator,” the airline added.

The Boeing 737 aircraft, which were also inspected, are part of the Air India Express fleet, the company said.

With the inspections now complete, both Air India and Air India Express have informed the DGCA and fully complied with the safety directive.

“Air India remains committed to the safety of passengers and crew members,” the airline said in a statement.

Meanwhile, several international carriers, including Emirates, are also conducting similar checks on their Boeing aircraft as a precaution, even though the FAA has not issued any new airworthiness directive.

The American regulator has assured global aviation authorities that the fuel control switch design remains safe.

–IANS

New Delhi: Even as the fuel control switches of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Ahmedabad crash highlighted that it was on cut off mode, starving both engines of the fuel supply, the Air India on Tuesday said that it has carried out the precautionary inspection of these switches of its Boeing 737 and 787 fleet and no issues were found with it.

The airline in a statement said that it has completed precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of Fuel Control Switch (FCS) on all Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet.

“Boeing 737 aircraft are part of the fleet of Air India Express, Air India’s low cost subsidiary. With this, the two airlines have complied with the directives of the DGCA issued on July 14, 2025,” it said.

“In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism,” Air India said.

Air India had started voluntary inspections on 12 July and completed them within the prescribed time limit set by the DGCA and the same has been communicated to the regulator.

Air India remains committed to the safety of passengers and crew members, it added.

After the AAIB preliminary report of the Air India AI171 crash on June 12 in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad highlighted that the fuel control switches in the cockpit of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had been flipped, starving the engines of fuel, the India’s civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), had ordered airlines to inspect the fuel switch locking mechanisms on their Boeing 787 fleets.

In an order dated July 14, the DGCA asked all Indian airlines to complete the inspection as per the Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) Number: NM 18-33, dated December 17, 2018 before July 21, 2025.

In an order, the DGCA said, “Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) number NM-18-33 dated December 17, 2018 regarding the potential for disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature on Boeing Company Model 717-200 airplanes; Model 737-700, -700C, -800, and -900ER series airplanes, Model 737-8 and -9 airplanes; Model 747-400, -400D, -400F, 8, and-8F series airplanes; Model 757-200, -200CB, -200PF, and -300 series airplanes: Model 767-200, -300,300F, -400ER, and -2C series airplanes; Model 787-8, -9, and -10 airplanes; Model MD-11 and MD-11F airplanes; and Model MD-90-30 airplanes.”

The DGCA issues mandatory modifications for aircraft or engines or components registered in India based on the airworthiness directives issued by State of Design or Manufacture.

“For other non-mandatory instructions including service bulletins, service letters and other information. such as SAIB issued by State of Design/Manufacture or OEM. CAR M- M.A. 301 Issue 2, R6, Dated 01 January 2024 contains requirements for action by the airline operators,” the DGCA said.

It also said that it has come to the notice of DGCA, that several operators-internationally as well as domestic have initiated inspection on their aircraft fleet as per the SAIB NM-18-33 dated December 17, 2018.

“In the view of above all airline operators of the affected aircraft are hereby advised to complete the inspection required under SAIB Number: NM-18-33, dated 17th December 2018, no later than 21st July 2025. Inspection plan and report after accomplishment of inspection shall be submitted to this office under intimation to concerned Regional Office,” it said.

It also said that strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations.

The DGCA order had come just two days after the AAIB on July 12, 2025 shared its preliminary report into the crash of Air India London Gatwick bound flight AI 171 which led to the death of around 260 people, including 241 onboard and 19 on the ground.

According to the 15 page report prepared by India’s AAIB, the fuel control switches in the cockpit of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had been flipped, starving the engines of fuel.

Investigators at AAIB were able to get data out of the plane’s black box recorders, including 49 hours of flight data and two hours of cockpit audio, including from the crash.

The report highlighted: “The aircraft had reached an airspeed of 180 knots when both engines’ fuel cutoff switches were transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec.”

“Air India has completed precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of Fuel Control Switch (FCS) on all Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet. Boeing 737 aircraft are part of the fleet of Air India Express, Air India’s low cost subsidiary. With this, the two airlines have complied with the directives of the DGCA issued on July 14, 2025,” the statement read.

New Delhi: Air India on Tuesday informed that it has concluded inspections on the locking mechanism of the Fuel Control Switch (FCS) on all Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft in its fleet and stated that no issues were found.

Air India said that no issues were found with the locking mechanism of the Fuel Control Switch.

“In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism. Air India had started voluntary inspections on July 12 and completed them within the prescribed time limit set by the DGCA. The same has been communicated to the regulator,” the statement read.

MoS Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on Monday informed the Parliament that no adverse trend was flagged/reported in reliability reports of Air India during the last six months in respect of AI171 that crashed in Ahmedabad last month.

The minister was asked in a written question by Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas whether any adverse observations regarding safety or flightworthiness of the crashed Air India AI171 flight had been flagged before the accident by passengers or the DGCA during the last six months.

“During the last six months, no adverse trend has been reported in reliability reports of Air India in respect of crashed aircraft,” the minister informed Rajya Sabha in his written reply.

The minister, in his reply, also noted that a total of nine show cause notices have been issued to Air India in connection with five identified safety violations over the last six months. “Enforcement action has been completed in respect of one violation,” he added.

Asked about reasons for the tragic AI171 crash, the minister said the investigation was on to ascertain the reasons or contributory factors.

An investigation has been ordered by Director General, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau to determinethe probable cause(s)/contributory factor(s) leading to the accident of Air India flight at Ahmedabad on June 12 in which 260 persons were killed including 241 on board and 19 on the ground as the plane stormed into a doctors’ hostel after the crash.

A preliminary report on the accident has been published by AAIB on July 12, and is available on their website www.aaib.gov.in.”The investigation is in progress to determine the probable cause(s)/contributory factor(s) leading to the accident,” the minister said.

In another written answer to a question, the MoS Civil Aviation informed the Upper House that there are 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft in the fleet of Indian carriers. Out of which, two are under scheduled maintenance.

Asked whether the government intends to withdraw Boeing 787 Dreamliners from the civil aviation sector in the backdrop of the mishap, and whether the government will initiate steps to conduct CBI enquiry on the events that led to the crash, the minister responded, “No such proposal is under consideration.”

Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

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New Delhi: Air India, on Monday, announced that it has completed inspections of the fuel control switches on all its Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft, in line with directives from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The civil aviation regulator mandated all Indian airlines to inspect the fuel switch controls of specified aircraft models by July 21. (Representational image)

“Air India has completed precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of Fuel Control Switch (FCS) on all Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet. In the inspections, no issues were found with the said locking mechanism. Air India had started voluntary inspections on 12 July and completed them within the prescribed time limit set by the DGCA. The same has been communicated to the regulator. Air India remains committed to the safety of passengers and crew members,” an Air India spokesperson said.

Boeing 737 aircraft are part of the fleet of Air India Express, Air India’s low cost subsidiary.

“With this, the two airlines have complied with the directives of the DGCA issued on July 14, 2025,” the spokesperson added.

Fuel control switches are critical cockpit components that regulate the flow of fuel to the engines. They play a vital role during engine start-up, in-flight operations, shutdowns, and emergencies.

The DGCA had directed to conduct the inspection two days after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report on the AI 171 crash.

The civil aviation regulator mandated all Indian airlines to inspect the fuel switch controls of specified aircraft models by July 21, 2025, referring to a 2018 safety notice issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

“Strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations,” the DGCA instructed.

The DGCA order stated, “It has come to the notice of DGCA, that several operators – internationally as well as domestic – have initiated inspection on their aircraft fleet as per the SAIB…”

“In the view of above, all airline operators of the affected aircraft are hereby advised to complete the inspection required under SAIB… dated 17th December 2018, no later than 21st July 2025. Inspection plan and report after accomplishment of Inspection shall be submitted to this office under intimation to Regional Office concerned,” it ordered.