An Air India aircraft has been grounded at Birmingham Airport after an emergency system was deployed on landing.
Flight AI117 was flying from Amritsar in the state of Punjab, when the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) activated during its approach yesterday evening.
An RAT is a tiny fan-like device that pops out automatically when a plane loses power, such as when the engine stops running.
Air India confirmed that all ‘electrical and hydraulic parameters’ were found to be operating normally, and the aircraft made a safe landing.
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The aircraft landed at around 7.10pm, according to the aviation tracking website FlightAware.
The airline did not specify how many people were aboard the plane, but said alternative arrangements were made to accommodate passengers.
However, the Boeing 787 has since been taken out of service for further checks, cancelling a later Air India flight scheduled to Delhi.
The incident involved the same system that was deployed before the airline’s fatal crash earlier this year.
Pictures of the catastrophic Air India crash on June 12 this year show the RAT system had been triggered moments before the jet crashed near Ahmedabad airport.
A total of 260 people, including all but one of the passengers and crew on board, were killed.
Investigators are still determining the cause of the crash, with deliberate action still not ruled out.
The latest unrelated incident comes amid questions about the safety of Air India planes, with the airline found to have had 51 safety violations by India’s regulator within the last year.
Seven of the safety breaches were revealed to be of the highest level.
Air India said the safety of passengers and crew remains its ‘top priority’.
A spokesperson for the airline said: ‘The operating crew of flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham on October 4 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.’
What is the Ram Air Turbine (RAT)?
The Ram Air Turbine is a system installed on major airliners as a backup in the event of a loss of engine power.
It consists of a small bladed propeller which automatically drops in the event of an emergency.
As well as helping to keep the plane flying, the RAT can also power vital systems such as flight controls and instruments.
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