NEW DELHI: The ram air turbine (RAT) of an Air India Dreamliner deployed on its final approach , seconds before landing at 400 feet, to Birmingham on Saturday. The aircraft landed safely and has been grounded for checks . The RAT - a last-resort emergency power system - was deployed seconds after the ill-fated Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner lifted off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
While the Boeing 787 was released for service by Sunday evening (India time), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) says “requires detailed investigation” which has been assigned to a senior air safety official. At the time of filing this story, AI was evaluating whether to operate the about 12-year-old VT-ANO back to India as a scheduled or a ferry (without passengers) flight.
RAT — a last-resort emergency power system — was deployed seconds after the ill-fated Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner lifted off from Ahmedabad on June 12. Hence its deployment created a flutter on Saturday when the deployment happened on yet another AI B787-8 Dreamliner.
In a statement, AI said: “The operating crew of flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham on Oct 4, 2025, detected deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) of the aircraft during its final approach. All electrical and hydraulic parameters were found normal, and the aircraft performed a safe landing at Birmingham. The aircraft has been grounded for further checks and consequently, AI114 from Birmingham to Delhi has been cancelled and alternative arrangements are being made to accommodate the guests. At Air India, the safety of passengers and crew remains top priority.”
AI 117 had taken off from Amritsar at 12.52 pm on Oct 4. “During landing at 400 feet, RAT unlock message came and RAT got deployed. Pilots did not report any related abnormality. The aircraft landed safely (at Birmingham 7.07 pm, all local timings),” said a senior official, adding, “Boeing has issued a ‘fleet team digest’ containing brief of previous such cases.”
According to aviation website Skybrary: “RAT is a small turbine that is installed in an aircraft and used as an alternate or emergency hydraulic or electrical power source. (It) generates power from the airstream based on the speed of the aircraft and is connected to an electrical generator or to a hydraulic pump.”
“In general, modern aircraft only utilise RAT in emergency: either in the event of loss of hydraulic systems or following the loss of primary electrical generation. In these cases the RAT will power vital systems such as flight controls or flight-critical instrumentation, navigation and communication equipment. Some RATs produce only hydraulic power which in turn is used to power an electrical generator,” Skybrary adds.
While the Boeing 787 was released for service by Sunday evening (India time), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) says “requires detailed investigation” which has been assigned to a senior air safety official. At the time of filing this story, AI was evaluating whether to operate the about 12-year-old VT-ANO back to India as a scheduled or a ferry (without passengers) flight.
RAT — a last-resort emergency power system — was deployed seconds after the ill-fated Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner lifted off from Ahmedabad on June 12. Hence its deployment created a flutter on Saturday when the deployment happened on yet another AI B787-8 Dreamliner.
In a statement, AI said: “The operating crew of flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham on Oct 4, 2025, detected deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) of the aircraft during its final approach. All electrical and hydraulic parameters were found normal, and the aircraft performed a safe landing at Birmingham. The aircraft has been grounded for further checks and consequently, AI114 from Birmingham to Delhi has been cancelled and alternative arrangements are being made to accommodate the guests. At Air India, the safety of passengers and crew remains top priority.”
AI 117 had taken off from Amritsar at 12.52 pm on Oct 4. “During landing at 400 feet, RAT unlock message came and RAT got deployed. Pilots did not report any related abnormality. The aircraft landed safely (at Birmingham 7.07 pm, all local timings),” said a senior official, adding, “Boeing has issued a ‘fleet team digest’ containing brief of previous such cases.”
According to aviation website Skybrary: “RAT is a small turbine that is installed in an aircraft and used as an alternate or emergency hydraulic or electrical power source. (It) generates power from the airstream based on the speed of the aircraft and is connected to an electrical generator or to a hydraulic pump.”
“In general, modern aircraft only utilise RAT in emergency: either in the event of loss of hydraulic systems or following the loss of primary electrical generation. In these cases the RAT will power vital systems such as flight controls or flight-critical instrumentation, navigation and communication equipment. Some RATs produce only hydraulic power which in turn is used to power an electrical generator,” Skybrary adds.
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