Summary
- An Air India flight to Mumbai declared an emergency attributable to an engine fire warning but landed safely with no injuries.
- The aircraft involved was an Airbus A320neo with CFM LEAP engines.
- Mayday calls indicate urgent emergencies, while Pan-Pan calls are for less severe situations.
A routine Air India flight between India’s top two busiest airports – Delhi and Mumbai – had some tense moments toward the tip when a fireplace warning prompted pilots to declare an emergency. Thankfully, the plane made a standard landing, and everybody onboard was protected.
Mayday call
On December 19, an Air India Airbus A320neo aircraft traveling from Delhi to Mumbai declared an emergency while approaching the airport. Flight AI814 is a day by day scheduled service with a departure time of twenty-two:30.
Photo: Flightradar24
On Tuesday, the plane took off at 22:44 for a flight that takes roughly two hours. But because it approached Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, a fireplace alarm for one in every of its engines went off. This prompted the pilots to declare a mayday call, alerting the airport to the emergency.
Thankfully, the aircraft landed safely with no reported injuries. A source told CNBC-TV18 that the plane remained on the runway for about 20 minutes until mandatory checks were performed. This resulted in one other Air India flight diverting to Ahmedabad. Air India released an announcement suggesting it was likely a false alarm. The airline said,
In regards to the aircraft
The aircraft involved within the incident is an almost six-year-old Airbus A320neo registered VT-CIH. It was delivered to Air India in February 2018 and is powered by CFM LEAP engines. As of September 2023, it has flown 19,735 hours across 9,622 flight cycles. Per Flightradar24, remains to be at Mumbai Airport on the time of writing.
Photo: TravellingNepal / Shutterstock
Air India operates a mixed fleet of Boeing and Airbus aircraft. Per ch-aviation, it currently has 35 A320neos, of which 33 are in energetic service. Greater than 200 planes from the Airbus A320neo family will join Air India in the approaching years as a part of its large order placed with Airbus earlier this yr.
In July, Air India also signed an enormous take care of CFM International for greater than 800 engines to power its future narrowbody fleet of 210 Airbus A320/A321neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX family aircraft.
Distress calls
Some cockpit alarms are more menacing than others. In January, an Air Canada Rouge A321 declared mayday attributable to successive messages related to the aircraft’s ELAC (Elevator and Aileron Computer), stabilizer, autopilot, and yellow hydraulic system. The flight from Cozumel to Toronto was diverted to Tampa, Florida, where it landed safely.
Photo: Nieuwland Photography | Shutterstock
A mayday communication is urgent and requires immediate attention. But for something less severe, pilots can even send out a Pan-Pan call, which is brief for ‘possible assistance required.’ Those excited about learning more in regards to the differences between mayday and pan-pan calls can try the next article.
Pan-Pan Vs Mayday: The Difference Between Distress Calls
A take a look at the subtle but distinct difference between “pan-pan” and “mayday” and the way they’re used.
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