Boeing has once again come under the spotlight after the crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad.Flight AI-171, headed to London with 242 passengers from India, the UK, Portugal, and Canada, went down within a minute of takeoff on Thursday.Barring a miracle survivor, there were no survivors in the plane crash. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the 241 passengers whose lives were tragically cut short.Medical students at BJ Medical College into where the plane crashed also lost their lives.In the immediate aftermath of the worst crash involving a single aircraft in India, all eyes turned to Boeing. The company’s stock dropped sharply by over 7 per cent, and fresh questions about its safety record began to circulate, yet again. This is not the first time Boeing has faced such concerns.Launched 21 years agoThe 787-8 Dreamliner is one of Boeing’s newer, more fuel-efficient models. But it has not been without issues. Over the years, the Dreamliner series has faced repeated problems, ranging from poor manufacturing and faulty components to broader concerns about safety.While earlier incidents involving the Dreamliner have led to injuries, there were no recorded deaths before Thursday, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. Though these incidents didn’t involve crashes, the 787-8 has seen reports of hydraulic leaks, flap malfunctions, and emergency landings in recent years.With what could be one of the deadliest crashes in the country, questions about Boeing’s Dreamliner jets are inevitable.The 787-8 was the first model in the Dreamliner family. Launched in 2004, it had its first flight in December 2009 and entered commercial service in 2011. The aircraft typically seats between 210 and 248 passengers and has a range of about 13,350 kilometres. It is 57 metres long, with a wingspan of 60 metres and a height of 17 metres.“We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information,” Boeing said in a statement.
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