Air India Flight diverts to Dubai after autopilot failure.
Air India Dreamliner operating the Vienna to Delhi route was forced to land in Dubai after a critical malfunction of its autopilot system. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has issued a grave warning after citing continuous electrical problems and a risk to passenger safety and called for the immediate grounding of the entire B787 fleet and a special maintenance audit.
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Diversion following a technical glitch
​An Air India Boeing 787 (VT-ANC) operating flight AI 154 from Vienna to Delhi was forced to divert to Dubai on Thursday night after a scare. The aircraft, a Dreamliner, experienced according to the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) a sudden failure of the autopilot system. This failure triggered a series of technical malfunctions across critical systems which includes the instrument landing and flight control. Due to the electrical malfunctions the pilots were constrained to fly the aircraft manually at night demonstrating exceptional skill in safely landing the plane in Dubai with limited automation. After a system reset and necessary checks, the aircraft subsequently departed for Delhi.
​Pilot Union calls for grounding and audit
​This incident is the second major technical issue involving Air India’s Dreamliners within a week. The previous incident saw the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) of another B787 (AI-117) landing uncommanded while on final approach to Birmingham on 4th October. In response to the comtinued issues the FIP has officially written to the aviation ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to “ground all B787s in light of continuous electrical problems”. The federation has also requested the government to order a special audit of AI aircraft maintenance and stated that the two incidents of electrical malfunctions in a short span of time are clear indicators of poor serviceability by the airline.
​Air India maintains safety protocol
​Air India acknowledged the diversion was because of a technical issue. An airline spokesperson confirmed that the plane had landed safely and was checked in Dubai before the flight continued to Delhi. The spokesperson stressed that the safety of passengers and crew remained top priority and mentioned that there was no electrical failure in the said aircraft, indirectly contradicting the pilots’ union claims. The DGCA is currently probing the RAT deployment, while the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) continues to investigate an earlier AI Dreamliner crash from June.
​The need for accountability
​The continuous technical problems involving Air India’s Dreamliner has raised serious questions about aircraft serviceability and maintenance standards. While the airline assures the public that it has commitment to safety and normal parameters after each incident the strong and public demands by the Federation of Indian Pilots for an immediate grounding and special audit underline the gravity of the situation. It is now up to the aviation ministry and the DGCA to either look into the concerns raised by the pilots or confirm the airline’s maintenance protocols and ensure passenger safety is unequivocally secured.
