(AMRITSAR, BIRMINGHAM, INDIA) Indian commercial pilots have urged regulators to ground all Boeing 787 aircraft in the country after an Air India flight experienced an unexpected deployment of its emergency RAM Air Turbine during final approach to Birmingham on October 4, 2025. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), which represents more than 5,000 flight crew, has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to order immediate inspections focused on the Dreamliner’s electrical systems, citing safety risks and a still‑unfinished probe into a deadly 787 crash in June.
Air India flight AI117, a Boeing 787-8 operating from Amritsar to Birmingham, reported an uncommanded deployment of the RAT at approximately 400–500 feet altitude with all electrical and hydraulic parameters otherwise normal. The aircraft landed safely, but the return flight was canceled and the jet was grounded in the United Kingdom for checks.
According to internal maintenance records shared with the regulator, the Aircraft Health Monitoring system flagged a fault in the Bus Power Control Unit (BPCU), a component that manages electrical power distribution across the aircraft.
What the RAT is and why this matters
- The RAM Air Turbine (RAT) is designed to deploy automatically only during a total loss of electrical or hydraulic power.
- It serves as a small wind‑driven generator to keep critical systems alive.
- An unwanted activation—without a broader systems failure—remains rare and raises questions about the Boeing 787’s electrical architecture.
FIP leaders say the BPCU alert seen on AI117 strengthens their call for a thorough electrical inspection across Air India’s Dreamliner fleet, arguing that piecemeal checks do not address possible systemic vulnerabilities.
Union request and regulator response
FIP stressed in a letter that Air India operates 34 Boeing 787s. A widespread grounding and inspection would disrupt schedules and long‑haul routes, but the union says the risk of another electrical anomaly outweighs operational pain.
The DGCA has:
– Opened a detailed investigation and assigned an officer to lead the probe.
– Begun reviewing Boeing’s Fleet Team Digest summarizing similar events reported to the manufacturer.
– Allowed the affected aircraft to return to service once maintenance closes out, but has not issued a blanket grounding order.
Context: recent crash and ongoing concerns
The October incident follows the June 12, 2025 crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 operating from Ahmedabad to London, that killed 260 people shortly after takeoff. In that case, the RAT deployed as both engines shut down during a transition in fuel control switches.
- Investigators have not released a final report; electrical system faults remain among the suspected contributors.
- FIP argues that after the June crash, attention focused too narrowly on the fuel control switches and that regulators must now audit the entire electrical system, including components that monitor and route power like the BPCU.
“An uncommanded RAT deployment without a clear systemic failure should be treated as a red‑flag event,” — Capt. Charanvir Randhawa, FIP president.
Safety triggers and regulatory scrutiny
The DGCA said it is examining the RAT deployment on AI117, analyzing onboard data and manufacturer advisories to determine whether any common‑mode fault or intermittent failure could have triggered the emergency system.
Actions underway:
– Coordination with Air India’s engineering team, which pulled data from the aircraft’s monitoring systems to isolate the BPCU fault code.
– Review of Boeing’s Fleet Team Digest, which outlines previous reports where RAT activation came alongside electrical anomalies.
– Continued assessment of whether there is a single cause linking these events; Boeing has not publicly identified one.
Industry analysis (e.g., VisaVerge.com) notes that pilot groups worldwide often push for fleet‑wide checks when disparate incidents point to a shared design layer such as common power management units or software logic.
While investigations continue, Air India has warned customers to expect potential delays on Boeing 787 routes if additional checks are needed overnight or at outstations. The airline has not changed its fleet plan and continues to schedule the Dreamliner on key international sectors.
Technical context and human impact
For passengers, the technical debate can feel far removed from missed connections, visa appointments, and family emergencies. The Birmingham event underscores that modern aircraft are built with multiple layers of protection.
- On AI117: the aircraft was controllable, parameters were normal, and the crew landed safely.
- Still, a system designed for last‑resort power should not appear without a trigger—hence pilot calls for a deeper look into the electrical backbone: generators, power conversion, distribution buses, and BPCU modules.
The June crash continues to weigh on the probe:
– Families of AI171 victims are awaiting the final report.
– Investigators are reviewing how an engine shutdown sequence and fuel control switch transition coincided with RAT deployment.
– If the DGCA finds electrical interactions that could degrade redundancy, regulators might issue airworthiness directives or targeted inspections.
Air India’s 34‑strong 787 fleet forms the backbone of its long‑haul network. A broad safety audit would test:
– The carrier’s operational resilience
– The regulator’s capacity to process inspection findings quickly
Operators in other markets will likely monitor India’s actions closely, especially if the DGCA issues directives similar to precautionary steps taken elsewhere when system‑level risks were suspected.
Cockpit and engineering focus
Practical effects in operations:
– Crews will revisit abnormal checklists related to electrical power distribution and RAT deployment.
– Nuisance deployments increase cockpit workload during critical phases like approach and landing; clear procedures and reliable fault isolation are essential.
Engineering priorities include confirming whether the BPCU fault code on AI117 indicates:
– Hardware degradation
– Software logic issues
– Wiring or connector faults
– Any pattern across the fleet
Regulatory options and manufacturer role
The DGCA’s options include:
1. Continue data‑driven monitoring
2. Order a one‑time inspection of specific components
3. Order a temporary grounding for checks
Recent regulatory practice often targets suspected systems rather than removing entire fleets from service to balance safety and operational disruption. The pilots’ body counters that two major events in 2025—one catastrophic, one precautionary—justify a clean‑sheet audit of the 787’s electrical systems in India beyond routine maintenance.
Boeing’s cooperation will be central:
– Fleet‑wide findings depend on operators sharing detailed fault histories, maintenance actions, and operational contexts.
– The manufacturer’s digest suggests it is canvassing operators for common threads, including BPCU behavior.
– Boeing has not issued a public bulletin specific to AI117; coordinated manufacturer‑operator‑regulator alignment would shape the timeline for restoring crew and passenger confidence.
Current status and what to watch
- The DGCA has confirmed the AI117 aircraft will be released after maintenance closes out findings.
- Broader fleet action remains under review pending DGCA analysis of flight data, maintenance records, and Boeing’s advisories.
For travelers and stakeholders: immediate steps
1. Monitor announcements from Air India and the DGCA for inspection or schedule updates.
2. If booked on a Boeing 787 route:
– Check your reservation daily.
– Confirm minimum connection times.
3. Keep contact details current with the airline to receive rebooking messages quickly.
4. For safety advisories or notices, consult the DGCA at the official portal: Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Key takeaway: With the final report on the June 12 crash still pending, pressure remains high to address any electrical system gaps across the 787 fleet before another event tests the aircraft’s defenses.
This Article in a Nutshell
On October 4, 2025, Air India flight AI117 (Boeing 787‑8) experienced an uncommanded deployment of the RAM Air Turbine at 400–500 feet during final approach to Birmingham; the aircraft landed safely. Aircraft Health Monitoring logged a Bus Power Control Unit (BPCU) fault, prompting the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) to call on the DGCA to ground and inspect all 34 Air India 787s. The DGCA has opened a detailed investigation, reviewed Boeing’s Fleet Team Digest, and allowed the individual jet to return to service after maintenance closeout but has not issued a blanket grounding. The event follows the June 12, 2025 crash of AI171, which also involved RAT deployment; investigators continue probing electrical system interactions. Regulators, Boeing and operators are coordinating data reviews to determine if systemic vulnerabilities exist and whether targeted inspections or airworthiness directives are required. Travelers should monitor Air India and DGCA updates for potential schedule impacts.
