Pilots carry simulator test after Ahmedabad crash

A group of senior Air India pilots recreated on simulators some adverse conditions, such as flying with higher weight and temperature, and with landing gear down and retracted wing flaps at 50 feet, with the results showing the Boeing 787-8 aircraft continued flying, sources said on Wednesday.
The simulator test was carried out independently by the Air India Boeing 787 aircraft fleet trainers during a simulator training session at the airline’s Mumbai facility within days of the crash of an Air India Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, sources said.
When contacted, Air India said pilots conducted simulator tests on their own, and the airline had no role in that.
Among the various theories doing the rounds initially regarding the possible causes of the Air India aircraft crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 that killed over 260 people, was that the pilot flew the aircraft with retracted flaps and gear down.
“The pilots simulated AI 171 flight conditions on their own during the training session. They attempted to create some slightly adverse conditions like with higher weight and higher temperature, while keeping (landing) gear down and retracting (wing) flaps at 50 feet altitude,” said a source. “In the simulator, the aircraft continued flying,” he said.
Flaps are movable panels, located along the trailing edge of an aircraft’s wings, which get extended during takeoff and landing to increase the wing’s surface area, which provides more ‘lift’ that keeps the plane flying. This additional aerodynamic force is crucial during low-speed flight, like takeoff or landing. Flaps are adjusted manually by either pilot, depending on the situation. In cruise flight, they remain retracted.