NEW DELHI: Air India's new Boeing 787 Dreamliner developed a snag on the first day of its commercial operations on Wednesday. A cooling unit, meant to prevent the power generating equipment of the aircraft from getting overheated, malfunctioned when the aircraft was being pushed back. The plane had to return to the parking bay and was delayed by 40 minutes.
Earlier in the day, the aircraft (VT-ANH) had its first commercial flight when it went from Delhi to Chennai and then returned to IGI airport. It was to take its second flight to Bangalore. Sources said that the snag developed when the aircraft was being pushed back and its power generation was being shifted from electric generator to the engine generator.
Sources said the same part had been replaced twice in the US before AI took delivery of the aircraft. In fact, when it landed in Delhi on September 8, sources said that another electric part, called actuator, had developed a snag and was replaced. AI spokesman said, "The main reason for delay was refueling of the aircraft. When it was being pushed back, it developed some problem in its cooling unit. While that was being replaced it was decided to refuel the aircraft."
However, AI had a reason to cheer. A lady commander-under-training of erstwhile Indian Airlines, Nivedita Bhasin, flew in AI's second B-787 from Charleston to Delhi via Frankfurt. Captain Bhasin was in the commander's seat on the Frankfurt-Delhi leg of the flight under supervision of two Boeing pilots - becoming the first woman to commandeer a commercial flight of the 787 in the world.
Earlier in the day, the aircraft (VT-ANH) had its first commercial flight when it went from Delhi to Chennai and then returned to IGI airport. It was to take its second flight to Bangalore. Sources said that the snag developed when the aircraft was being pushed back and its power generation was being shifted from electric generator to the engine generator.
Sources said the same part had been replaced twice in the US before AI took delivery of the aircraft. In fact, when it landed in Delhi on September 8, sources said that another electric part, called actuator, had developed a snag and was replaced. AI spokesman said, "The main reason for delay was refueling of the aircraft. When it was being pushed back, it developed some problem in its cooling unit. While that was being replaced it was decided to refuel the aircraft."
However, AI had a reason to cheer. A lady commander-under-training of erstwhile Indian Airlines, Nivedita Bhasin, flew in AI's second B-787 from Charleston to Delhi via Frankfurt. Captain Bhasin was in the commander's seat on the Frankfurt-Delhi leg of the flight under supervision of two Boeing pilots - becoming the first woman to commandeer a commercial flight of the 787 in the world.
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