LATAM 777 deployed wind turbine after serious electrical failure

A LATAM Boeing 777-300 from Sao Paulo in Brazil to London Heathrow diverted and made an emergency overweight landing after it was forced to deploy its ram air turbine because of a serious electrical failure. The RAT is a small wind turbine used only when primary and auxiliary power sources are lost and can power vital systems such as flight controls and hydraulics. The plane with 341 passengers and 16 crew on board landed safely at Belo Horizonte in Brazil Dec 18 but all 12 main landing gear tires blew after the brakes overheated. As they approached the airport, the crew told air traffic controllers they were “practically without electrical systems” and were unable to jettison fuel. The electrical problems started with the failure of the right back-up generator that tripped circuit breakers and left electrical conduits unpowered. <br/>