An Boeing 787 Dreamliner was forced to deploy its emergency Ram Air Turbine during final approach to Birmingham Airport on Saturday.
An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Birmingham landed safely on Saturday, October 4, after the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed during its final approach.
The flight AI117 departed Amritsar Saturday, October 4 2025 for a 10-hour flight to Birmingham, UK. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner (registration VT-ANO) landed on runway 33 at 19:07 BST while pilots detected deployment of the Ram Air Turbine during final approach to Birmingham.
According to an Air India spokesperson, the aircraft’s electrical and hydraulic systems were operating normally despite the RAT deployment, with all parameters found normal throughout the approach and landing. “All parameters were found normal, and the aircraft performed a safe landing at Birmingham,” the spokesperson confirmed, emphasizing that safety protocols were strictly followed throughout the operation.
What is a Ram Air Turbine?
The Ram Air Turbine is a small, fold-out windmill-like device designed to generate emergency power in case of failure of the main electrical or hydraulic systems. The RAT helps maintain control of essential flight instruments and hydraulic pressure, ensuring safe aircraft handling during emergencies.
The turbine deploys automatically or can be manually activated when aircraft systems detect loss of normal power generation. Once deployed, the device extends into the airstream, where wind force spins the turbine to generate emergency electrical and hydraulic power.
Significantly, Air India confirmed that the aircraft’s electrical and hydraulic systems were operating normally despite the RAT deployment. This suggests that while the emergency system activated, the primary aircraft systems continued functioning, potentially indicating a false trigger or precautionary deployment.
Aircraft Grounded for Inspection
Following the incident, the aircraft was immediately grounded for detailed inspections to determine why the RAT deployed and to ensure the aircraft’s airworthiness before returning to service.
As a result of the aircraft being grounded for inspections, the return flight AI114 from Birmingham to Delhi was cancelled. Air India confirmed it is making alternative arrangements to accommodate affected passengers and minimize disruption, including rebooking on alternative flights and potentially deploying substitute aircraft to clear the backlog.
