Air India modifies faucet modules in Dreamliners after FAA directive
Tata-owned Air India is upgrading faucet control modules in most of its 33 Boeing 787s after FAA flagged water leak risks to critical systems
New Delhi, Mar 1 (PTI) Air India is carrying out modifications to faucet control modules in majority of its Dreamliners following the US Federal Aviation Administration's revised directive to modify the modules susceptible to water leaks that could impact the aircraft's electronic equipment, according to sources.
The FAA, on February 2, issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) applicable to certain Boeing 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes. These aircraft are also known as Dreamliners.
This AD superseded the AD issued in January 2024 in connection with possibility of water leaks from Faucet Control Module (FCM) in the 787s.
Currently, Tata Group-owned Air India has 33 Boeing 787s in its fleet, including 26 legacy 787-8s.
The sources told PTI that Air India has started carrying out the required modification of the FCMs in majority of its Boeing 787s following the FAA directive.
FCMs have been modified in more than half of the 787s that were identified for modification, they added.
However, specific details such as the number of planes for which the modification has been completed could not be ascertained.
There was no official comment from Air India and Boeing.
In January 2024, the FAA had asked operators to carry out repetitive general visual inspections of the area under all lavatory washbasins for evidence of intermittent and active leaks at the FCM and applicable on-condition actions.
According to the FAA, the latest AD was prompted by development of an FCM with an improved design that is not susceptible to leaking.
The operators are required to replace the FCMs as the "terminating action for the repetitive General Visual Inspections, a leak test, installation of moisture management devices, and applicable on-condition actions" in order to address unsafe condition on these products, it said.
The FAA's directive in January 2024 was prompted by reports of undetected water leaks from the FCM migrating below the passenger floor in multiple lavatory locations during flight, and into the electronic equipment bays.
The directive was being issued to address undetected water leaks, which could damage flight critical equipment. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in loss of multiple line replaceable units and subsequent loss of continued safe flight and landing, the FAA said. PTI