Boeing has issued a directive to airlines to inspect all 787 cockpit seats following a recent incident reported by the Wall Street Journal. The incident involved a terrifying plunge during a flight from Sydney to New Zealand, resulting in passengers being thrown to the cabin ceiling and sustaining injuries. Investigators believe that a flight attendant inadvertently activated a switch on the cockpit seat while serving a meal to the pilot, causing the pilot's seat to move forward and potentially impacting the controls.
An analysis of the pilot's manual for the 787 reveals that the switch in question is described as a secondary horizontal power control located near the headrest of the seat. The switch is intended to facilitate seat movement for easier access when not seated. However, there are no explicit warnings or indications in the manual regarding the potential risks associated with using the switch.
