DGCA Orders Swift Inspections Of Boeing Fuel Switches Amid Global Safety Concerns

India’s civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a directive mandating all airlines operating specific Boeing aircraft such as B737s and B787 Dreamliners to inspect the locking mechanism of their fuel control switches.

The move follows a similar course of action by regulators in countries like South Korea and the UAE, in response to a long-standing bulletin from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA had first flagged concerns in December 2018 through a special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) that warned of possible disengagement of the fuel control switch locking mechanism on a broad range of Boeing aircraft, spanning from the 717 and various 737 variants to the larger 747, 757, 767, and all models of the 787 Dreamliner.

DGCA has now instructed operators in India to ensure completion of the prescribed inspections no later than 21 July. Furthermore, they must file both their inspection plans and subsequent reports with the DGCA’s main office, while also keeping regional offices in the loop.

“Strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations,” the DGCA order stated.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) acted days after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report into the deadly AI 171 crash on 12 June, which killed 270 people. The report brought fuel control switches under renewed scrutiny.

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