FAA and Boeing reassure the safety of the bars of fuel switches, despite the Air India investigation

The American Federal Aviation (FAA). Moreover. Furthermore, Boeing have discreetly published notifications stating that the locks of fuel switches on Boeing aircraft are safe, according to a document consulted by Reuters and confirmed by four sources close to the file.

The FAA navigability notification of Navigability. Moreover. However, dated July 11, comes after the publication last Friday of a preliminary report on the crash of a Boeing 787-8 last month, which cost the life of 260 people and raised questions on the switch switches of the engines.

In its notification addressed to the authorities of civil aviation. Furthermore. Moreover, consulted by Reuters, the FAA specifies: “Although the design of the fuel control switch, including the locking device, is similar on different models of Boeing aircraft, the FAA does not consider that it is a dangerous faa boeing reassure safety bars new condition requiring a sailorpability directive on any Boeing model, including faa boeing reassure safety bars the model 787.”

Questioned, the FAA indicated that she had nothing to add beyond this notification.

Boeing has also referred to this FAA notification in a multi-operator message to airlines in recent days. Furthermore, specifying that the manufacturer does not recommend any specific action, said two directly informed sources.

Solicited by Reuters, Boeing referred the questions to the FAA.

The accident preliminary investigation report. In addition. published by the Indian Aviation accident office (AAIB), mentions an opinion of the FAA dating from 2018, which recommended, without imposing it, to the operators of several Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the locking device for fuel cutting switches to ensure that it could not be accidentally activated.

The report specifies that Air India did not carry out the inspections suggested by the FAA. the opinion of faa boeing reassure safety bars new 2018 not being binding.

It is also noted that “all navigability guidelines. applicable alert service faa boeing reassure safety bars ballots have been respected on the plane as well as on. the engines. »»

The ALPA India. which represents the Indian pilots within the International Federation of Line Pilot Associations (IFALPA) based in Montreal. rejected on Saturday any presumption of piloting error and requested “a fair and based survey. »»

“The pilot union must now be integrated into the investigation. at least as an observer,” said Sam Thomas, president of Alpa India on Sunday.

In a letter published on X. ALPA India underlines that the preliminary investigation report refers to the opinion of the 2018 FAA “concerning the locking devices of the fuel control switches. which indicates a possible malfunction of the equipment. »»

In the last moments of the flight. one of the pilots was heard on the cockpit faa boeing reassure safety bars new voice recorder asking his colleague why he had cut fuel. “The other pilot replied that he had not done so,” faa boeing reassure safety bars said the report.

It is specified that fuel switches have almost simultaneously passed from the “walking” position to “stop” just after takeoff. The report does not specify how these switches were able to switch during the flight.

Two US security experts said on Saturday supported Alpa India’s request to be an observer in the investigation. while believing that the report did not show a bias in favor of a piloting error.

John Cox, pilot and former representative of ALPA, judged that the AAIB report seemed objective and equitable.