An Air India flight en route from Delhi to Birmingham experienced an in-flight technical issue that led to the emergency deployment of a Ram Air Turbine (RAT). While the aircraft landed safely and no passengers were harmed, the incident underscores the critical role of redundant safety systems like RATs in modern commercial and military aviation. This article explores the technical function of RATs, their operational protocols, and their broader relevance to both civil and defense aerospace platforms.
What Is a Ram Air Turbine (RAT)?
A Ram Air Turbine (RAT) is a small deployable wind turbine used on aircraft as an emergency power source. It is typically stowed within the fuselage or wing root and automatically or manually deployed when primary and auxiliary power systems fail. The RAT harnesses airflow generated by forward motion to spin a turbine that produces hydraulic or electrical power—enough to maintain essential flight controls and instrumentation.
While configurations vary by aircraft type, most commercial airliners like the Airbus A330 (which was reportedly involved in this incident) use electrically driven RATs capable of generating between 5–70 kW depending on design. In military aircraft such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon or Eurofighter Typhoon, RATs may also support mission-critical avionics during combat scenarios.
The Incident: Emergency Deployment on AI113
On June 28, 2024, Air India Flight AI113—a Boeing 787 Dreamliner according to airline records—was diverted back to Delhi after encountering a technical malfunction mid-flight. According to reports from LiveMint and corroborated by aviation tracking services such as FlightRadar24, the aircraft had departed for Birmingham but turned around roughly 30 minutes into its journey.
The airline confirmed that a “technical snag” necessitated activation of onboard safety protocols including deployment of the RAM air turbine. Although details remain sparse regarding the nature of the malfunction—whether it was electrical failure or hydraulic system degradation—the successful landing indicates that critical systems remained operational thanks to backup power provided by the RAT.
Engineering Redundancy: Why Aircraft Carry RATs
The integration of a RAM air turbine is part of broader aerospace engineering doctrine focused on layered redundancy for mission-critical systems. In both civilian and military aviation sectors, loss-of-power scenarios are considered low-probability but high-risk events requiring autonomous fallback mechanisms.
- Hydraulic Backup: On aircraft using fly-by-wire controls (e.g., Airbus A320/A330 families), hydraulic pressure is essential for actuating control surfaces like rudders and elevators. The RAT can supply this pressure if engine-driven pumps fail.
- Electrical Continuity: In cases where auxiliary power units (APUs) or battery backups are compromised or insufficient, a deployed RAT can generate enough electricity to sustain cockpit displays, radios, transponders, and navigation systems.
- Autonomous Activation: Modern aircraft are designed so that if both engines fail—or if onboard generators lose output—the RAT deploys automatically without pilot input.
Civil vs Military Applications of RAM Air Turbines
While commercial airliners rely on RATs primarily for emergency descent scenarios following dual engine failure or total electrical loss (as famously occurred during US Airways Flight 1549’s Hudson River ditching), military platforms often design them with additional mission resilience in mind:
- Combat Survivability: Fighter jets operating in contested environments may suffer battle damage affecting internal power distribution; here a RAT ensures continued operation of avionics or weapons release systems.
- Tactical UAVs: Some unmanned aerial vehicles incorporate micro-RATs as part of autonomous recovery protocols when primary batteries deplete unexpectedly mid-mission.
- Austere Operations: Tactical transport aircraft such as C-130 variants may use deployable turbines for field maintenance diagnostics when ground equipment is unavailable.
Aviation Safety Protocols and Regulatory Oversight
The safe return of AI113 highlights not only robust engineering but also adherence to international aviation safety standards enforced by bodies such as EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency), FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), and DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation – India).
The deployment event will likely trigger standard post-incident procedures including data recorder analysis (FDR/CVR), inspection logs review for hydraulic/electrical subsystems, and possibly OEM involvement from Boeing or component suppliers like Hamilton Sundstrand—a major manufacturer of commercial-grade RAM air turbines.
Toward Smarter Emergency Systems Using AI & Predictive Maintenance
The incident also raises questions about how future aerospace platforms could preemptively detect system degradation using AI-based health monitoring systems. Predictive maintenance algorithms trained on sensor telemetry can identify anomalies before they cascade into failures requiring emergency backup activation such as deploying a RAT.
This trend is already visible in next-generation programs like Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator platform or Airbus’ Skywise analytics suite—both aimed at reducing unplanned downtime through proactive diagnostics across fleets. Military equivalents include predictive logistics modules embedded within F-35 ALIS/ODIN frameworks or NATO’s Smart Defence initiatives focused on resilient ISR platforms under degraded conditions.
Conclusion: Small Device With Strategic Importance
The unplanned deployment of a RAM air turbine aboard an international passenger flight serves as a reminder that even minor components play outsized roles in ensuring aviation safety under duress. As aerospace technologies continue evolving toward more electric architectures—and potentially all-electric propulsion—the importance of reliable backup energy sources will only grow more pronounced across both civil airlines and defense aviation fleets worldwide.
