Airliners-India.com

747-237 · Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 9:23 pm Post subject: Air India 787 oven catches fire

http://www.livemint.com/Companies/vPa8L8NGUfZ4kw3u6M210K/Dreamliner-oven-fire-spooks-Air-India-crew.html

Oven on Air India’s Boeing 787 catches fire

Jul 25 2013

Air India says Boeing has been informed of the incident and investigations are on

A fire broke out on an Air India Boeing 787 aircraft on its way from Delhi to Kolkata, in the rear galley area, causing a scare before it was doused by the crew using fire extinguishers.

“There was a rear galley fire which was controlled onboard Delhi-Kolkata flight AI-020 on Wednesday operated by Boeing 787,” said a person with knowledge of the incident, who declined to be identified. “It later turned out that it was (an) internal oven fire only and it did not affect the surrounding areas.”

An oven fire in a brand new aircraft like Air India’s VT-ANL—its registration number—is unheard of, said the official cited above, adding that the matter would be taken up with the manufacturer.

The aircraft was not grounded and continued to operate after a check by local engineers in Kolkata, the official said. The oven was removed from the aircraft and the electrical switches connected to the rear galley oven were turned off.

Air India said it has reported the incident to Boeing.

“It’s a minor incident and it has been reported to Boeing. The investigations are on,” an Air India spokesman said.

A DGCA spokesperson did not offer any immediate comment, while an email sent to Boeing did not elicit a reply until the time of going to press.

Nimish · Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:03 pm Post subject:

The food was too spicy! Twisted Evil

_________________
We miss you Nalini!

The_Goat · Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:19 pm Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:22 pm Post subject:

http://avherald.com/h?article=465e2d54&opt=0

Incident: Air India B788 enroute on Jul 25th 2013, smoking galley oven

An Air India Boeing 787-800, registration VT-ANL performing flight AI-20 from Delhi to Kolkata (India), was enroute when an oven in the aft galley began to emit smoke prompting cabin crew to disconnect galley power and and discharge fire extinguishers onto and into the oven. The fire was put out permitting the flight to continue to Kolkata for a safe landing.

The oven was removed from the aircraft, which continued its schedule following examination in Kolkata that established an internal fire in the oven had occurred but did not affect any of the surrounding areas.

abhijith16 · Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:37 pm Post subject:

Spiderguy252 · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:08 am Post subject:

I'm sure events like these occur on all kinds of aircraft on a weekly basis, but this one makes the news because of all the hooha surrounding the 787 lately.
_________________
Yeah.

747-237 · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:39 am Post subject:

Boeing’s North Charleston plant working with Air India on 787 oven fire

Boeing South Carolina spokeswoman Candy Eslinger said today in a written statement: “We are of the issue and are working with our customer.”

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20130725/PC05/130729619/1177/update-boeing-x2019-s-north-charleston-plant-working-with-air-india-on-787-oven-fire

abhigopal · Member Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 172

Just saw in the other post that actually, MRS. Sumantra might have been on that flight? More details please ?

747-237 · Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 7:03 pm Post subject:

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSL4N0FW2H620130726?irpc=932

Probe opened as Air India Boeing Dreamliner oven overheats midair

Jul 26

The overheating of the oven during a July 24 flight from New Delhi to Kolkata did not cause a fire, an Air India spokesman said, adding they were in touch with Boeing over the issue.

"Even if there is a minor incident, it is always referred to investigation," the Air India spokesman said.

Boeing said in a statement it was aware of the issue and was working with Air India.

"Prima facie we feel that it's something to do with the oven, not with the machine (plane) as such," Arun Mishra, who heads India's civil aviation regulator, said over phone, but added he can comment further only after getting the investigation report.

HAWK21M · Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 2:41 pm Post subject:

Why did the cb not trip.....
_________________
Think of the Brighter side !!!

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

ameya · Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 11:03 pm Post subject:

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

747-237 · Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 12:40 am Post subject:

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/others/Probe-shows-oven-overheated-during-Dreamliner-flight-aircraft-not-faulty/articleshow/21538838.cms

Probe shows oven overheated during Dreamliner flight, aircraft not faulty

Aug 2, 2013

A preliminary inspection of the Dreamliner jet that was grounded when an oven emitted smoke last month has revealed that the problem lies with the oven, not with the aircraft.

Following the inspection by a Boeing India team and Air India engineers, a mail was sent to the national carrier's director engineering K M Unni, about precautions to be taken while using the oven. For instance, Air India crew have been directed to not use the steam heating mode on the oven.

Boeing has referred the oven matter to Jamco America Inc, the manufacturer of the oven. "Boeing is the airframe manufacturer. The galley has been made by Jamco and they will look into the matter," an Air India official said.

747-237 · Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 12:06 am Post subject:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Ovens-on-Air-India-Dreamliners-to-be-repaired/articleshow/21542350.cms

Ovens on Air India Dreamliners to be repaired

Aug 2, 2013

In yet another case of electric component trouble for Dreamliner, ovens on Air India's entire fleet of brand new Boeing 787s are getting a major retrofitting done following numerous instances of these appliances heating up. This is the second major single component check after the malfunction in batteries that had led to the grounding of this aircraft globally in January for four months.

Clearly, India is taking no chances now. "A team from the oven manufacturer who supplied the equipment to Boeing for being fitted in planes meant for AI is in India. Electric parts that are suspected to have led to overheating are being replaced in all ovens of all the B-787s with AI. The work is being done under supervision of Boeing as AI bought the plane from them and it is their responsibility to give a completely glitch-free product. We are monitoring the entire process," said a senior official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Confirming this, an AI said: "We maintain the highest possible safety standards on our aircraft. As part of that policy, the team is looking at all ovens and replacing the electric parts that need to be changed."

The airline recently asked the cabin crew of AI to handle the ovens differently. "The problem of overheating happens mainly when the ovens are used to heat food with steam. This is done to heat food in a way that makes it feel fresh from the kitchen. But now we are using the ovens on dry heat only and not steam," said sources.

Nimish · Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 1:27 pm Post subject:

^^ Good to see that AI/ Boeing are being proactive and fixing the ovens before the situation escalates again.
_________________
We miss you Nalini!

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

Thanks to prominent Delhi spotter Mr. All-Stare MacLean for pointing this out. The Wife was on that very flight, the `cancellation plane' VT-ANL, operating AI 020 DEL-CCU. She was on seat 12A, and the crew (for obvious reasons), did not announce anything. The flight started about an hour late from Delhi, and they were #6 in the landing sequence at CCU (there was some congestion around CCU), and they landed late.
And no, neither did she ask for a chicken tikka reheat. Very Happy

Some inside news (pun unintended!) is that there was no fire as such, it was the faulty oven producing a lot of steam, and luckily, the FA did not get hurt by the scalding vapour.
Cheers, Sumantra.

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

Not much new...but I've put down some of this in a trip report:
[b]64. Coimba-Tour, Jul'13 [& Overheating Ovens]
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic13973.html
Cheers, Sumantra.