Latest news with #GauravTaneja
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- General
- Indian Express
Gaurav Taneja, aka Flying Beast, reveals ‘every flight has snags' but airlines have ‘habit' of ignoring safety issues
While dissecting the recent Air India Flight 171 crash, YouTuber Gaurav Taneja ruled out several theories that are being floated online. He had initially suggested that the only way a Boeing 787 could crash in the way that Flight 171 did is if it experienced a dual engine failure. In a recent video, he seemed to point in the direction of pilot error, as he suggested that one of the pilots might have killed the wrong engine after takeoff, assuming that one had already died on the runway. In the same video, he ruled out bad weather, stating the data that is publicly available about the conditions on the fateful day of June 12. Taneja also spoke about safety standards in Indian aviation. Some years ago, he blew the whistle on practices that he perceived to be unsafe at Air Asia, and was fired from his position. Taneja is a graduate of IIT Kharagpur, and worked as a commercial pilot for a decade before becoming a full-time YouTuber. In his new video about the Air India Flight 171 crash, which claimed 270 lives, he said, 'In the event of bad weather, the aircraft warns the pilots to either delay takeoff or abort takeoff… A 787 has two radars, one on the left and one on the right. For dispatch, it is necessary for at least one to be functional.' Also read – 'Pilots know something that public doesn't' about Air India 171 crash, says Gaurav Taneja, aka Flying Beast: 'They are refusing to fly' Taneja then explained the concept of Minimum Equipment List (MEL). 'If the aircraft has 100 pieces of equipment, the rulebook says that it can function even if 30 of them have failed. For instance, an aircraft can fly safely with even one functional weather radar. This is made to operationally assist the airline. Let's go with the theory than one engine failed on the ground and the other failed after takeoff… This theory makes a little sense. But this is extremely rare. I've been researching for so many days, and it still doesn't make full sense,' he said. Taneja then moved on to the MCAS, a system that was introduced by Boeing some years ago, and was discovered to be the cause behind two 737 Max aircraft crashing. Subsequently, the entire fleet was grounded. 'Boeing was in a close battle with Airbus, and Airbus took the lead after the launch of the A320. To compete with them, Boeing unveiled the 737 Max, and decided that pilots can safely fly the aircraft with just a two-hour iPad training. They neglected to inform pilots about the MCAS system, which automatically deployed if an aircraft's nose tilted up abnormally. But pilots didn't know, and their aircraft was automatically pointing downwards because of the MCAS. This resulted in two crashes. Perhaps a different software issue could have caused the Air India crash?' Moving on to safety standards, he said, 'A pilot told me that aircraft are in 'a pathetic state'. Remember I told you about the MELs, and that a plane can fly with even one working radar? These snags are quite common. Every flight has snags. But they have a habit of overlooking these snags. The on-ground engineer will tell you that they are giving a temporary okay, they know and the airline knows that the snag will appear during the flight. Every snag that happens, a live report goes to the company. The company knows everything. The company is okaying these snags despite knowing about them, and leaving it to the pilot to deal with these snags during the flight.' Read more – 'An act of sabotage is an act of terrorism against India': Gaurav Taneja says he'll 'lose his mind' if this Air India 171 theory is true Making it clear that he wants to avoid legal trouble and that he is purely presenting theories, he continued, 'It's a sad state of affairs… 90 MELs per sector are common. They get three-page-long MEL lists; most of them have to do with issues like seats not reclining, in-flight entertainment not working, someone's remote not working… It is the pilot's job to go through that three-page MEL list and figure out what the real issues could be… It is not possible for any pilot to go through all these pages.' He cited internal politics between the departments as one of the reasons why this responsibility is handed over to pilots… It's understandable if an airline wants to hide the truth about internal issues with an aircraft, but at least they package the outside really well. If an airline can't even conceal superficial faults, imagine what's happening on the inside.' Previously, Taneja had cited MELs as a major issue, and had praised pilots for standing up and refusing to fly allegedly unsafe aircraft in the aftermath of the crash. Several flights have been cancelled in the days since the crash. On Saturday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered immediate action against three senior Air India officials following 'serious and repeated violations,' the Hindustan Times reported.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
‘An act of sabotage is an act of terrorism against India': Gaurav Taneja says he'll ‘lose his mind' if this Air India 171 theory is true
YouTuber Gaurav Taneja, known as Flying Beast online, offered his detailed theory for what could've caused the recent Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad. On June 12, over 250 people died when a Boeing 787 crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad. Investigations are still ongoing. But in these last few days, Taneja has offered several comments on the case, beginning with his suggestion shortly after the tragedy that it seemed to be a rare case of 'dual engine failure'. He has since defended the pilots against questions about their competence, and has also raised concerns about airline safety standards in India. Before he became a content creator full time, Taneja graduated from IIT Kharagpur and served as a commercial pilot for a decade. In his new video, which runs at nearly an hour long, he laid out his reasons for suggesting that pilot error could have partially been the cause for the crash. This comes days after he said that the easiest thing to do for airlines is to blame the pilots, because they typically aren't alive to defend themselves after disasters of this magnitude. In the past, Taneja also blew the whistle on Air Asia, accusing the airline of slack safety protocols and dangerous KRAs for pilots. He was terminated from his job. Also read – Gaurav Taneja, aka Flying Beast, opens up on chance of pilot error in detailed analysis of Air India Flight 171 crash: 'May have killed the wrong engine' In his video, he dunked several theories around the Air India 171 crash, ruling out a bird strike, bad weather, or even a software malfunction. He suggested that the aircraft suffered a single-engine failure during takeoff, at a point when it was too late to abort. He also suggested that the aircraft was overloaded with cargo, which caused it to consume a larger than normal chunk of runway. Air India 171 crashed seconds after takeoff, when it dropped out of the sky after seemingly losing all lift and power. Experts have also indicated that the ram air turbine (RAT) was automatically deployed as a last-ditch measure, indicating all loss of power. Taneja said in the video, 'Fuel contamination is a wild theory. If this turns out to be true, I'll lose my mind. Let me tell you why this can't happen. On that day, several aircraft in Ahmedabad would've received fuel. The aircraft in question must've stood in the bay, it would've taxied to the runway, it took off. There must be some fuel leftover from its previous flight as well. The truck that fuelled this aircraft must've fuelled other aircraft as well.' He said that there are several checks and balances in place to prevent contaminated fuel from entering an aircraft. 'The fuel supplier checks the fuel first, airline engineers conduct checks as well. Fuelling trucks are so advanced these days, they also have the capability to check. If it finds that there is something wrong with the fuel, it will stop the fuelling process itself. It's all automatic, the aircraft handles everything itself. So now, if you tell me that the fuel was contaminated, it's an act of sabotage. It's an act of terrorism against the country. I don't want to believe this is true.'
Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Gaurav Taneja, aka Flying Beast, opens up on chance of pilot error in detailed analysis of Air India Flight 171 crash: ‘May have killed the wrong engine'
YouTuber Gaurav Taneja, who is popularly known as Flying Beast online, offered his detailed theory about what might have caused the Air India Flight 171 plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12. Taneja has posted regularly about the tragedy; hours after it occurred, he suggested that it might be a rare case of 'dual engine failure'. Later, when other commentators indicated that pilot error might have been one of the reasons behind the crash, he defended the deceased pilots and said that they are the easiest people to blame because they aren't there to defend themselves. But, in his new video, which runs nearly an hour long, Taneja seemed to suggest that pilot error may partially be the reason why Air India 171 crashed into a medical college moments after takeoff. Taneja is a graduate of IIT Kharagpur, and served as a commercial pilot for a decade. He explained that based on the data that he has accessed and the experts he has spoken to, he has certain theories based on his expertise and experience. He said that he doesn't wish to attract any legal trouble by implicating any person or organisation. He debunked several theories surrounding fuel contamination and bird strikes. He said that modern aircraft are fully equipped to fly on one functional engine, and that a dual engine failure is virutally unheard of in modern aviation. Also read – Amid 13 Air India 787 cancellations, Gaurav Taneja lauds pilots for putting their foot down and 'refusing to accept' unsafe aircraft Taneja said that Air India Flight 171 took off later than expected, which could be because one engine had failed while it was on the runway. Video footage of the takeoff, he said, shows a large dust cloud form just as the plane lifts off, which suggests that it was near the end of the runway. He simulated the takeoff with the exact specifications available, and discovered that the pilots had basically half a minute to figure out what to do while things started going wrong. He said that they appeared to be 'startled by the extra load and the engine failure'. 'The first shocking information we got our hands on was the fact that the aircraft consumed more runway than normal. This convinced me that I was going in the wrong direction… The aircraft was close to the maximum takeoff weight, which is 2.20-2.25 tonnes. Because the pilots decided to proceed with the takeoff, we have to assume that whatever engine failure happened was after the point of no return. They could've aborted the takeoff only up till a point on the runway… If both engines had failed, the aircraft wouldn't have taken off at all. But even with one engine down, it took more runway than expected.' He said that this may be due to overloading of cargo, but made it clear that he has no proof of these claims. Taneja explained that weight plays a key role, because the heavier an aircraft is, the more fuel it burns. This is why airlines charge money from passengers for extra baggage. He continued with his theory, 'Imagine if there was overloading, and one engine failed on the runway. The pilots must've been startled. They would've seen the perimeter wall of the airport and wondered why the aircraft hadn't taken off… They were already tense about the engine failure and the delayed lift-off. They were distracted. They were supposed to pull up the landing gear at around 100 feet. Now, listen carefully. They climed for 100-150 feet with a damaged engine, and forgot to pull the landing gear up. In the Boeing 787, pilots are required to follow 'memory items' in the event of an engine failure. When they hit 400 feet, the pilot 'flying' pulled the thrust idle switch for the faulty engine, and the pilot 'monitoring' pulled the fuel control switch off for the wrong engine… One engine was damaged on the ground, the other engine they killed themselves.' Taneja had previously defended the pilots against criticism. 'At 400 feet, they were without power, and the aircraft started losing altitude. Pulling the fuel control switch off and the engine fire switch are irreversible actions on a Boeing aircraft. Engines will not come back.' To conclude, he said, 'Late takeoff because one engine failed, pilots were startled, they didn't pull the gear up… Once they have cut the wrong engine, they are without power. You can't do anything after that. You're going down, and you have 10-12 seconds before impact. The footage shows they tried to pull the nose up, but the plane crashed into a building, and the worst disaster in the history of aviation happened.' Taneja said that there could be many reasons behind pilot error, such as fatigue and training. Defending the pilots in a previous video, Taneja had said, 'Pilots outside India are claiming that the crash happened because the Indian pilots retracted flap instead of the gear because the videos before the crash show that the gear is down. Pilots gear up when the flight is 100 feet above the surface. They said wings are supposed to create lift, which is supposed to keep the aircraft in the air and when you retract the flaps there is a loss of lift and that loss of lift caused the flight to go down but I have a serious problem with this theory.'
News18
3 days ago
- General
- News18
Gaurav Taneja Lauds Air India Pilots For Refusing Unsafe Flights: 'DGCA Should Step In'
Last Updated: It should be noted that Gaurav Taneja is also a former pilot, who has been vocal with regard to aviation safety issues. YouTuber Gaurav Taneja aka Flying Beast, took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday and praised Air India pilots who are now refusing to fly aircraft, which are considered unsafe. Gaurav talked about the precautionary steps after the plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 and urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to step in. 'Lot of Air India flights getting cancelled recently due to technical snags, after the 12th June accident. Pilots hopefully have stopped accepting the aircraft's with so many MEL's each flight. It increases their workload immensely," the YouTuber wrote. 'Everyone knows that the 'Red" airline is being dispatched on minimum equipment's. 90+ MEL's every flight. DGCA should step in and stop this," he added. Lot of Air India flight getting cancelled recently due to technical snags, after the 12th June hopefully have stopped accepting the aircraft's with so many MEL's each flight. It increases their workload knows that the 'Red" airline is…— Gaurav Taneja (@flyingbeast320) June 17, 2025 It should be noted that Gaurav Taneja is also a former pilot who has been vocal with regard to aviation safety issues. He flew for IndiGo Airlines before pursuing a career in social media. His YouTube channel, '74th Squadron," offers aviation-related content, including pilot lifestyle, industry issues, and behind-the-scenes stories. For the unversed, on June 12, Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (VT-ANB), crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The incident resulted in the death of 241 out of the 242 people on board, leaving only one survivor. Air India confirmed the accident in an official statement on X and wrote, 'UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital." After the incident, several of Air India's flights have been diverted or cancelled.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
YouTuber retracts comments citing ‘pilot error' for Air India crash after widespread criticism: ‘They did a valiant job of trying to save that plane'
Days after Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which killed claimed 270 lives, experts around the world have been speculating what led to the crash. YouTuber Captain Steeeve, who has been sharing videos on the supposed reasons behind the crash, shared another video on Wednesday where he clarified his previous stance implying that pilot error could have caused the crash. Here, he insisted that he holds pilots from other countries in high regard and never meant to blame them in the first place. However, he discussed other reasons that could have led to the dual engine failure. In his previous video, Steeeve had suggested that the tragic incident might have been caused by a possible error during takeoff. He mentioned that the co-pilot may have accidentally raised the flaps instead of the landing gear. Following this claim, many, including YouTuber Gaurav Taneja aka Flying Beast, who served as a commercial pilot for over a decade, defended the pilots. ALSO READ | 'His legacy will forever be etched': Air India pays final tribute to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who died in Ahmedabad plane crash At the beginning of his latest video itself, Captain Steeeve said, 'I'm glad to say at this point that that has been put to bed. That did not happen. (After I made the statement) A lot of people said, 'You are casting dispersions on those pilots, their training and their background.' Not at all. I have the greatest and utmost respect for all my foreign pilot friends. These guys are absolutely geniuses. They are terrific at what they do.' He added, 'Those guys earned what they were, and they did a valiant job of trying to save that aeroplane. They were really the heroes, and I wish it had turned out better.' As per the YouTuber, according to last available visuals of the flight, the ram air turbine (RAT), a device designed to deploy automatically if both engines fail or if the aircraft loses all hydraulic or electrical systems, was deployed in the moments leading up to the crash. He also weighed in on the topic of what might have caused the engines to fail. Pointing out that once they start functioning, the two turbine engines basically need ample air and fuel. He noted that RAT deployment could result from electrical or hydraulic failure. He speculated that due to the high temperatures in Ahmedabad that day, airflow might have been disrupted, potentially causing a 'compressor stall'. He also suggested that fuel starvation, possibly due to contamination or vapour lock, could have played a role. Previously, defending the pilots, YouTuber Flying Beast aka Gaurav Taneja had stated, 'It's very easy to blame the pilots when they are not there to defend themselves. Boeing and Air India both are big companies so leave them and let's blame the pilot. Also, it gets easy to claim insurance if you blame it on the pilot. That is one more reason for big companies to not take it on themselves. Americans think Indian pilots aren't very competent but that's not the case.'
