Why in news?
The investigation into the Air India Flight AI171 crash revealed that inadvertent movement of fuel control switches to the “cut‑off” position caused both engines of a Boeing 787‑8 to shut down after take‑off.
Understanding fuel control switches
- Function: These cockpit levers regulate the flow of fuel to each engine, enabling start‑up, shutdown and emergency cut‑off. On a Boeing 787 there is one switch per engine, positioned below the thrust levers.
- Design: They are spring‑loaded with a pull‑to‑unlock mechanism, requiring deliberate action to move between positions.
- Positions:
- RUN: Allows normal fuel flow to keep the engine running.
- CUTOFF: Immediately halts fuel supply, shutting down the engine.
- Operating sequence: During engine start, a selector switch is engaged first, followed by moving the fuel control switch to RUN. In‑flight, the switches remain on RUN; moving them to CUTOFF stops the engine.
- Safety features: Visual alerts and redundant power circuits reduce the risk of accidental activation. However, incorrect handling can be catastrophic, underscoring the importance of training and cockpit resource management.
