MUMBAI: Less than a week after the aviation regulator grounded 11 A320neos plane of IndiGo and GoAir over safety issues, IndiGo on Sunday withdrew some other A320neo due to an engine downside. This grounding raises question over the reliability of 31 Pratt and Whitney (PW) engined A320neos currently operational in India.
The reason: These are some of the plane not red-flagged by the European or Indian aviation regulator when they not too long ago mentioned A320neos with PW1100 engines (serial number 450 and above) "are more susceptible to inflight shut down".
IndiGo flight 6E 132 (A320 neo, registration number VT-ITX) from Bengaluru landed in Delhi at eight.45 am, after which the plane remained grounded. An IndiGo spokesperson mentioned: "An A320 neo plane that operated Bangalore-Delhi on Sunday morning used to be proactively withdrawn in Delhi for a repairs test to attend to a pilot reported defect.''
In the past one week, that is the third technical problems involving a PW1100 engine powered IndiGo A320neo. The spokesperson did not remark on the different two incidents.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) used to be not available for remark.
Soon after IndiGo began inducting A320neos in 2016, engines suffered screw ups due to problems in combustion chamber, there have been "oil chip caution due to wear of bearing 3'' and so forth. Referring to Sunday's grounding, IndiGo spokesperson mentioned: "During the maintenance check, metal chips were observed on left engine, number 3 bearing chip detector which is a known concern on the Neo engine."
Sunday’s grounding had to do with an previous downside confronted by A320neos that experience engines with serial numbers up to 449. However, in February, both the DGCA and PW had mentioned that the previous engine problems were resolved.
On Sunday, recommend Yeshwant Shenoy, who filed a petition ultimate week within the Delhi high court in quest of grounding of all of the PW1100 powered A320neo fleet, wrote to IndiGo and civil aviation ministry saying: “If the engines had been as secure as the DGCA pointed out, then why did such an incident happen?... Pilots are scared and take minute inspections earlier than setting out.’’
The reason: These are some of the plane not red-flagged by the European or Indian aviation regulator when they not too long ago mentioned A320neos with PW1100 engines (serial number 450 and above) "are more susceptible to inflight shut down".
IndiGo flight 6E 132 (A320 neo, registration number VT-ITX) from Bengaluru landed in Delhi at eight.45 am, after which the plane remained grounded. An IndiGo spokesperson mentioned: "An A320 neo plane that operated Bangalore-Delhi on Sunday morning used to be proactively withdrawn in Delhi for a repairs test to attend to a pilot reported defect.''
In the past one week, that is the third technical problems involving a PW1100 engine powered IndiGo A320neo. The spokesperson did not remark on the different two incidents.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) used to be not available for remark.
Soon after IndiGo began inducting A320neos in 2016, engines suffered screw ups due to problems in combustion chamber, there have been "oil chip caution due to wear of bearing 3'' and so forth. Referring to Sunday's grounding, IndiGo spokesperson mentioned: "During the maintenance check, metal chips were observed on left engine, number 3 bearing chip detector which is a known concern on the Neo engine."
Sunday’s grounding had to do with an previous downside confronted by A320neos that experience engines with serial numbers up to 449. However, in February, both the DGCA and PW had mentioned that the previous engine problems were resolved.
On Sunday, recommend Yeshwant Shenoy, who filed a petition ultimate week within the Delhi high court in quest of grounding of all of the PW1100 powered A320neo fleet, wrote to IndiGo and civil aviation ministry saying: “If the engines had been as secure as the DGCA pointed out, then why did such an incident happen?... Pilots are scared and take minute inspections earlier than setting out.’’
Indigo grounds another plane; doubts raised on 31 A320neos
![Indigo grounds another plane; doubts raised on 31 A320neos]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
March 19, 2018
Rating:
