DGCA Orders Airlines to Inspect Boeing Planes

Directive comes two days after AAIB issued probe report on AI-171 crash

- Daanish Anand

India's aviation regulator on Monday asked airlines to inspect fuel control switches on certain Boeing aircraft as directed by the US regulator earlier, after the recent crash report of an Air India flight put the spotlight on the device.

The directive will require local carriers Air India, Air India Express and SpiceJet to inspect around 94 aircraft within a week.

In 2018, the US Federal Aviation Administration had issued a document mentioning the potential for disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature, which affects around 26 Boeing models. On Monday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) drew airlines' attention to the document, called Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) 2018.