Air India's midair emergency sparks new alarm over Boeing 787 Dreamliner's safety

Core Viewpoint - The Federation of Indian Pilots has requested an inspection of all Boeing 787 Dreamliners in India due to safety concerns following an incident where an emergency power system was unexpectedly deployed midair [1][4][11]. Group 1: Incident Details - An Air India flight experienced an unexpected activation of the ram air turbine (RAT), a backup generator, shortly before landing in Birmingham, England [2][4]. - The RAT is designed to activate during critical failures, such as loss of engine power or hydraulic pressure [2]. - Initial inspections by Air India indicated that all electrical and hydraulic parameters were normal at the time of landing [6]. Group 2: Safety Concerns - The recent incident has raised alarms regarding the safety of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, especially in light of a previous crash in June that resulted in 260 fatalities [7][10]. - The June crash involved the RAT system activating as intended when the aircraft lost power due to fuel control switches being moved to the "cutoff" position [10]. - The president of the Federation of Indian Pilots expressed that the RAT's deployment without apparent issues in the aircraft's systems is a serious concern that requires thorough investigation [11][16]. Group 3: Regulatory Response - The Federation of Indian Pilots has formally requested the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to investigate the electrical systems of all Boeing Dreamliners operating in India [11][16]. - There has been no immediate response from India's Civil Aviation Ministry or Boeing India regarding the request for investigation [16].