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What is the fuel switch at the heart of the Air India crash investigation?
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that a cockpit recording of the dialogue between two pilots on the Air India flight which crashed last month shows the captain cut off the fuel flow to the Boeing 787's jet engines. Here are some facts about the engine fuel switches. They describe their function in the aircraft, and how they moved on an Air India flight. What are fuel switches? These switches regulate the fuel flow to a plane's engine. Pilots use them to shut down engines or start engines manually on the ground. Experts in aviation say that a pilot could not accidentally move fuel switches feeding the engines. If moved, however, the engine would immediately stop working. According to John Cox, an aviation safety expert from the United States, there are separate power systems and wirings for the fuel shutoff switches and fuel valves that they control. Where are the fuel switches located? The fuel control switches are located under the thrust levers on a 787. In Air India's example, they were equipped with two GE engine. The switches have a spring loaded mechanism that keeps them in place. The pilot must first lift the switch and then change it from cutoff to run. There are two different modes: 'CUTOFF" and "RUN". What happened on the fatal AIR INDIA flight? According to the flight recording, after takeoff both switches were switched to 'CUTOFF,' with an interval of 1 second. The engines started to lose power as a result. On the cockpit voice recording, one pilot is heard asking the other pilot why he has cut off the fuel. The report stated that "the other pilot replied that he had not done so." The report didn't identify the remarks made by either the captain or the first officer. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the first-offer asked the captain, citing sources familiar with U.S. authorities' initial assessment of the evidence found in the investigation, why he had moved the fuel switches from 'CUTOFF to'seconds after lifting off the airport. The preliminary report states that the switches were flipped back into 'RUN" seconds later. The report said that both fuel control switches had been found in the "RUN" position on the crash site. The report stated that when fuel control switches from 'CUTOFF to RUN' are moved while the aircraft is flying, each engine's system will automatically manage a relighting and thrust recovery sequence, including ignition and fuel introduction. John Nance, an aviation safety expert from the United States, said that "no sane person would turn off those switches in flight", especially when the plane was just beginning to climb. (Reporting from Abhijith Gaapavaram, New Delhi; Dan Catchpole, Seattle; editing by Jamie Freed).
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The key events of the Air India crash investigation
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that a cockpit recording of the dialogue between two pilots on the Air India flight which crashed last month shows the captain cut off the fuel flow to the Boeing 787's jet engines. The timeline below shows the key events of the investigation so far: JUNE 12 Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner headed for London crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing all 242 passengers on board except one. JUNE 13 India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau launches an investigation in the deadliest aircraft crash of the past decade. The team includes an aviation medicine expert, an air traffic controller, and representatives of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. Boeing 787 jets are equipped with two GE recorders. One is installed in the front of the jet and the other at the back. Both aircraft have a cockpit data recorder as well as a voice recorder. A black box is recovered on the roof of a nearby building. JUNE 16 The second blackbox unit was recovered from the debris on the crash site. JUNE 24 Indian Air Force aircraft transported the two black boxes separately from Ahmedabad, India to an AAIB laboratory in Delhi. The team, led by the AAIB Director General and technical members of AAIB and NTSB, began the data extraction in the evening. JUNE 25 The data from the memory module of the black box unit at the front end of the aircraft was successfully downloaded. In a report from 2014, the NTSB stated that the forward recorder has an independent power source which provides backup power for the device for approximately 10 minutes in the event of a plane's loss of power. JULY 12 The preliminary report of Indian investigators indicated that there was no recommendation to Boeing or GE for this stage. This indicates a fault with the aircraft or engine is unlikely. The report said that one pilot could be heard asking the other pilot on the cockpit recording why he had cut off the gas. The report stated that "the other pilot replied that he had not done so." The crash report did not specify which flight captain made the remarks and which first officer. Nor did it identify which pilot sent out "Mayday Mayday Mayday" before the crash. Within a year after the crash, a final report will be expected. JULY 16, The Wall Street Journal reported that the first officer who was piloting the plane asked the captain, who had more experience, why he put the fuel switches in the "cutoff position" seconds after the plane lifted off the runway. Reporting by Abhijith Gaapavaram, New Delhi. Editing by Jamie Freed
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What were the names of the two pilots that flew the Air India jet which crashed?
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that a cockpit recording of the dialogue between two pilots on the Air India flight which crashed last month shows the captain cut off the fuel flow to the Boeing 787's jet engines. Here is a short profile of both pilots, based on media reports and the preliminary investigation report: CAPTAIN SUMEET SABHARWAL The 56-year old pilot had a valid airline transport pilot's license until May 14, 2026. He was cleared to fly in the role of pilot-in command on several aircraft, including the Boeing 787, 777 and Airbus A310. He has a total of 15,638 flying hours. Of these, 8,596 were spent on a Boeing 7. According to a report in the Times of India, Sabharwal called his family at the airport and assured them that he would call again once he landed in London. He was described as a gentleman by a pilot who briefly spoke with him. FIRST OFFICER CLIVE KUNDER The 32-year old had a commercial license that was issued in the year 2020 and was valid until 26 September 2025. He was cleared to fly the Cessna 172, Piper PA-34 Seneca and Airbus A320 as well as Boeing 787 as pilot-in-command. His total flying time was 3,403 hours. One-hundred and twenty eight hours were spent as a copilot on a 787. Indian media, citing his family, reported that Kunder has been a passionate flyer since his school days. In 2012, he began working as a pilot. He joined Air India as a pilot in 2017. Reporting by Abhijith and Adityakalra, editing by Jamie Freed
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Belarus shuts down unit at nuclear power plant after warning
The energy ministry announced late Wednesday that the second of two nuclear units in Belarus was disconnected from the grid following an alarm signaling a deviation within the cooling system for the non-nuclear portion. The power plant located in Astravets in western Grodno is 15 km away from the border of Lithuania. It has been criticized for safety issues, mostly by neighbouring countries and from international organizations. The Belarusian Energy Ministry said that the situation was routine and did not pose a threat to the plant's safe operation. Radiation levels at the NPP and the monitoring zone surrounding it have not changed." Could not independently verify report on incident and radiation levels. In 2023, the second unit of the plant will be connected to Belarusian grid. The first unit was commissioned in 2020. Maintenance issues caused a halt to operations. The plant was constructed by the Russian state-owned Rosatom, and financed by Moscow. According to the website of the plant, it supplies approximately 40% of Belarus' electric needs. Baltic countries have prohibited imports of electricity produced by the plant because they deemed it unsafe. Reporting by Lidia Kelley in Warsaw, Editing by Muralikumar Aantharaman and Saad Saeed
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Trump cancels US funding of $4 billion for California High-Speed Rail
The U.S. president Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the Transportation Department will revoke $4 billion of U.S. Government funding for California's High-Speed Rail Project. The Department said that there is no viable way forward for California High-Speed Rail and was considering clawing back any additional funding for the project. Last month, the Federal Railroad Administration released a 315 page report citing missed timelines, budget shortages and questionable projections of ridership. California has not allocated the $7 billion additional funding required to build a 171-mile initial segment between Merced, California and Bakersfield. California High-Speed Rail System (California High-Speed Rail System) is a two-phase 800-mile (1,287-km) system that will reach speeds up to 220 mph. It is intended to connect San Francisco with Los Angeles/Anaheim and, in the second stage, to extend north to Sacramento, and south to San Diego. California High-Speed Rail Authority has previously stated that it strongly disagrees the conclusions of the administration, "which are misleading and do not reflect substantial progress made in delivering high-speed train in California." The authority noted that California Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal to the California legislature provides at least $1 billion in funding per year for the next twenty years, "providing necessary resources to finish the project's first operating segment." In May, the authority reported that civil construction is underway along 119 miles of Central Valley. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that "Newsom's California high-speed rail boondogle is the definition of incompetence by government and possible corruption." Newsom replied on social media, "Won't take advice from the guy that can't keep airplanes in the air." The project was approved by voters in 2008 for $10 billion, but costs have increased dramatically. Under former president Joe Biden, the Transportation Department awarded this project approximately $4 billion. The San Francisco to Los Angeles project, originally estimated to cost $33 billion by 2020, has now increased from $89 billion up to $128 billion. Biden restored in 2021 a $929-million grant to California's high speed rail project that Trump had revoked after calling the project "a disaster" in 2019.
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WSJ reports that new details in the Air India crash investigation shift attention to the plane's pilot.
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that a cockpit recording of the dialogue between two pilots on the Air India flight which crashed last month shows that the captain shut off the switches controlling fuel flow to the plane's engine. People familiar with the early assessment by U.S. officials of the evidence found in the investigation into this crash that killed 260 people were quoted in the newspaper. Reports state that the first officer who was piloting the Boeing 787 Dreamliner asked the captain, who had more experience, why he put the switches in the "cutoff position" after the plane climbed off of the runway. The WSJ reported that the first officer was surprised and panicked while the captain remained calm. Air India, Boeing and India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation did not respond immediately to requests for comments on the report. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, and First Officer Clive Kunder had a total of 15,638 and 3,403 flying hours respectively. The preliminary report of India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, released last week, depicted confusion within the cockpit just before the crash on June 12, and raised new questions about the location of the crucial engine fuel cutoff switch. Anusha in Bengaluru, Himani Sarkar & Jamie Freed edited the story.
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United Airlines' profit falls below expectations as travel expenditure drops
United Airlines announced on Wednesday that it would report a lower than expected profit for the quarter ending September, as concerns about rising living expenses and an uncertain economy have caused a reduction in discretionary spending. However, the Chicago-based carrier said that it had seen a significant increase in bookings for business travel in the current quarter compared to a year ago. United anticipates a profit adjusted in the range $2.25 per share to $2.75 for the quarter ending September. According to LSEG, the midpoint of United's forecast is $2.50 a share. This compares with an average analyst estimate of $2.60. The disruptions at Newark Airport are expected to have a negative impact on its earnings for the third quarter. Now, the company's adjusted full-year profit is estimated to be between $9 and $11 per share. Analysts had expected $10.04 per share. After-hours, the company's stock was down by 2.5%. United Airlines took a unique step in April by offering two different forecasts of earnings, as the trade war between President Donald Trump and his business partners has weakened consumer confidence. This makes it difficult for carriers to predict their business. Industry executives claim that travel demand has stabilised since then. Government data show that passenger traffic in the U.S. is still lower than a year earlier, resulting in a decrease in air fares. United stated that demand trends have improved thanks to a reduction in macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. (Reporting and editing by Franklin Paul, Sandra Maler, and Rajesh Kumar Singh)
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Kinder Morgan, a pipeline operator, posts higher profits in the second quarter.
Kinder Morgan reported a 24% increase in its second-quarter profits on Wednesday. This was largely due to higher volumes of gas being transported through the company's pipelines. Kinder Morgan, for example, is betting on an increase in demand for LNG from LNG export installations as well as electricity for AI operations and cryptocurrency mining. In 2024 the United States will be the world's largest LNG exporter. Exports are expected to grow even more as new terminals become operational after President Donald Trump lifted the pause on new permits. Richard Kinder, Executive Chairman, said: "Our company's future is bright, with historic growth in natural gas demand, a favorable federal regulatory environment and federal agencies that are very supportive." Kinder Morgan says that the results of the survey come at a time when the energy sector is bracing for the impact Trump's tariffs will have on the majority of imports. It does not anticipate any significant impact to project economics. The impact of tariffs will be only 1% the existing project costs. In the quarter reported, the company transported approximately 44,585 billion British Thermal Units per day of natgas, compared to 43,123 Btu/d in last year's report. The total volume of fuel delivered, including refined products like jet fuel and diesel, increased to 2,21 million barrels a day in the quarter ending June 30 from 2,17 million bpd a year ago. The total backlog of projects, which accounts for approximately 40% of all natural gas produced in the country, increased by 6%, to $9.3 Billion, from the previous quarter. Houston-based company's quarterly net income was $715 million or 32 cents a share. This compares to $575 million or 26 cents a share compared to a year ago. Reporting by Vallari Shrivastava, Bengaluru. Editing by Shailesh Kuber.
Brazil's highest court supports Lula's tax increase, exempts forfait
The highest court in Brazil upheld the majority of a controversial decree by President Luiz-Inacio Lula Da Silva to raise the Financial Operations Tax. This was a win for the government, as it increased revenue.
Judge Alexandre de Moraes has ruled only that the tax increase on forfait, which is the advance payment made to suppliers and previously treated as credit operations by the government, will be reduced.
Congress had suspended the decree, which included tax increases on other financial transactions like credit, foreign exchange and private pension transactions. This led to the dispute being brought to the Supreme Court.
Brazil's Finance Ministry issued a press release that welcomed the decision of the court, saying that it would help restore harmony among branches of government.
It said that blocking the proposed IOF on forfait payments would result in a revenue loss of 450 millions reais ($80.9m) this year, and a further 3.5billion reais by 2026.
According to the ministry, this entire decree will boost state coffers in the amount of 12 billion reais by 2026. ($1 = $5.5678 reais). (Reporting and writing by Andre Romani, editing by Chris Reese, Sarah Morland and Chris Reese in Brasilia)
(source: Reuters)