Tata Group-led domestic airline company Air India has changed the Throtle Control Module of Boeing 787-8 aircraft ie TCM twice in the last six years following Boeing’s directive in 2019. This information was given by sources on Sunday. According to PTI news, the throttle control module or TCM also includes fuel control switches, which are in a special focus in the investigation of the Dreamliner VT-AnB aircraft going to London on June 12, who crashed in Ahmedabad. According to the news, initial investigation has revealed that these switches went into cut-off mode immediately after the take-off.
Replacement was not related to fuel control switch
Initial investigation report released on Saturday by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said that the module was replaced twice in 2019 and 2023 following Boeing’s instructions by Air India. However, the report clarified that this replacement was not related to the fuel control switch. It is also reported that in the year 2019, Boeing released a revised maintenance planning document (MPD) for all Dreamliner Operators. It said that TCM, which also includes fuel control switches, should be replaced after every 24,000 flight hours. Air India, following this, replaced TCM twice in the crashed VT-ANB aircraft- 2019 and 2023.
Boeing said-will continue to cooperate in the process
In response to the questions asked from Boeing, the company spokesperson cited his statement that he would continue to cooperate in the investigation and support Air India. He said that we will depend on AAIB for information related to AI171, as mentioned in Article 13 of the International Civil Aviation Institute (ICAO) of the United Nations. The AAIB report stated that in this phase of investigation, there is no recommendation for B787-8 and/or GE GENX-1B engine operators and manufacturers. Let me tell you here, on June 12, Air India crashed Dreamliner VT-AB, was powered by the Genx-1B engine.
Special aircraft information bulletin was released
According to the report, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) released a special aircraft information bulletin (SAIB) on December 17, 2018, which was said to have a possible passive of the locking feature of the fuel control switch. The report states that Air India did not conduct inspections given under SAIB, as it was just advisory, not mandatory. Investigation of the maintenance records found that the TCM in the VT-ANB aircraft was replaced in 2019 and 2023, but this change had no connection with the fuel control switch and no malfunction reports related to this switch after 2023.
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