National Times Bureau :- In an unusual mid-air incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has opened an investigation after the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) on an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner unexpectedly deployed during a routine international flight from Amritsar to Birmingham.
According to officials, the aircraft—operating as flight AI 117—continued its journey without any safety risk and landed smoothly at Birmingham. No injuries or disruptions to onboard systems were reported.
The RAT is a small fold-out turbine designed as an emergency backup. It automatically comes into action only if an aircraft loses engine-driven power, using the outside airflow to generate the hydraulic and electrical energy needed to keep essential flight controls running.
In this case, aviation regulators confirmed that the turbine deployed unintentionally, not in response to any power failure. The DGCA has begun a detailed technical inquiry to find out why the safety device was triggered and to ensure that similar incidents do not recur.
A senior aviation expert explained that while RAT deployment is a critical safety safeguard, its activation during normal operations is highly unusual and calls for a full engineering review.
Air India stated that passenger safety was never compromised. Industry analysts say the probe’s outcome will be important for maintaining public confidence in the Dreamliner fleet and in India’s aviation safety oversight.
