Indian government is considering grounding the Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 fleet, sources said on Friday, a day after one of the aircraft supplied to Air India crashed seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad airport.
The fleet will likely be grounded for a safety review of the American wide-body airliner, the sources said, adding that talks between India and US agencies are underway in this regard.
Besides, Air India may also face scrutiny over its standard operating procedure on aircraft maintenance, the source added.
In a statement, Boeing said: “We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected.”
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-haul, wide-body aircraft used by airlines for intercontinental flights. The creation of the line marked a breakthrough in design, promising 20% greater fuel efficiency through the use of durable, lightweight composite materials and more electrical systems, Reuters reported.
The Boeing 787 series currently comprises three models, with the Boeing 787-8 being the smallest and the first one to have been introduced.
The 787-8 can carry 248 passengers and the 787-9, which has a longer range, can accommodate 296 flyers. The 787-10, the largest of the three with the smallest range, can seat 336, news agency Reuters reported.
Boeing has sold more than 2,500 787s since the model was introduced and 47 have been bought by Air India. It has delivered 1,189 jets but has been facing production delays amid criticism over safety issues in its other models.
The twin-engined 787 comes with a choice of two types of engines – manufactured by GE Aerospace or Rolls-Royce. The engines on the plane that crashed on Thursday were supplied by GE, which has said it will support the investigation.