Air India 787-8 deploys RAT on final approach to Birmingham

An Air India Boeing 787-8 operating flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham deployed its emergency Ram Air Turbine during final approach on Saturday but landed safely in Birmingham, the airline said. The operating crew detected the deployment midway through descent, and all passengers and crew were unharmed. Air India said electrical and hydraulic parameters were normal on landing, but the aircraft was grounded for further technical checks, prompting the cancellation of the return flight AI114 from Birmingham to Delhi and the rebooking of affected passengers.

In a statement the airline said, "On 4 October 2025, Air India flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham experienced deployment of its Ram Air Turbine RAT during final approach. All electrical and hydraulic systems were normal, and the aircraft landed safely." Airline representatives said the grounding was conducted in line with standard operating procedures while engineers carry out detailed inspections.

The Ram Air Turbine or RAT is a small foldout device that automatically extends into the airstream to generate emergency hydraulic and electrical power if an aircraft suffers a major loss of its primary power sources. It...