terms like RAT ,APU, FADEC etc related to the DREAMLINER. To understand these I consulted a few AI apps which gave adequate information about the parts that power the plane in an emergency. Then came videos about the reenactment of various accidents of older Boeing planes like 747 or 737 MAX using actors and animation.Some are as interesting as watching a movie. This broadened my perspective - this was not just a AIR INDIA problem but a global problem. Almost every other airline that I have heard of has had a disaster - Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific , Emirates, Alaska Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and many more!
The DREAMLINER is more sophisticated than it's predecessors, it has more smart hardware and software like FADEC. However, as I watched these accidents it became clear to me that the lowest common denominators are the quality of batteries, the nuts and bolts, the way the cabin parts were joined together. Besides the intelligence built into the FADEC these small parts determine whether you reach your destination safely. Any oversight or compromise means a loss of hundreds of lives!!
I also learnt that the emergency backup APU takes 90 secs to power up while the A171 pilot had only about 15 seconds because of low altitude; that the plane can glide for couple of miles on its own but there are only buildings surrounding the Ahmedabad airport and the air pressure might not have been enough to land in a clearing!
I have taken the liberty of including a video by a young vlogger from INDIA that explains everything in simple terms and it is more comprehensive specific to the AIR INDIA crash. It is in HINDI with ENGLISH subtitles.
RAVINDRA LOOMBA
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