After almost two and a half years, the Directorate of General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now lifted the ban on Boeing 737 Max for commercial flight operations. The decision is likely to offer relief to domestic carrier SpiceJet which has 13 Boeing Max aircraft in its fleet.
After the DGCA order, SpiceJet said it “expects to start operations of MAX aircraft around the end of September 2021 subject to regulatory approvals.”
The Boeing 737 Max were globally grounded in March 2019 soon after two aircraft crashed within five months. In all 346 died in two crashes.
In its order, the DGCA said that this rescission enables operation of Boeing Company Model 737-8 and Boeing Company Model 737-9 airplanes only upon satisfaction of applicable requirements for return to service.
SpiceJet in the statement also said it expects to start operations of Max planes around the end of September.
“Based on design changes by Boeing Federal Aviation Administration issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) on November 18, 2020 mandating actions for 737 Max airplanes return to service (RTS). Concurrent with the issuance of the AD, FAA rescinded the emergency order of prohibition. Subsequently , European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) also issued its own AD on February 17, 2021 which has been mandated by DGCA for compliance on the Indian registered fleet,” the order said.
“Worldwide 17 regulators have permitted operation of Boeing 737 Max airplane. A sizeable number of airlines (34) with B737 Max airplane (345) are operating currently and have attained 1,22,824 total departures with 2,89,537 cumulative hours since the un-grounding from December 9, 2020, with no untoward reporting, “ the DGCA order issued on Thursday read.
“A sizeable number of airlines (34) with B737 Max airplane (345) are operating currently and have attained 1,22,824 total departures with 2,89,537 cumulative hours since the un-grounding from December 9, 2020, with no untoward reporting, “ the DGCA order said.
SpiceJet in the statement also said it expects to start operations of Max planes around the end of September this year, subject to regulatory approvals. “SpiceJet has entered into a settlement with Avolon, a major lessor of Max aircraft, paving the way for the airline’s 737 Max aircraft to start to return to service,” the low-cost carrier said in the statement. The airline said it hopes to see these MAX aircraft flying again soon. SpiceJet is the only airline in the country to fly the 737 MAX aircraft.
Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max plane crashed on March 10 near Addis Ababa which had left 157 people, including four Indians, dead. In October 2018, 189 were killed as Lion Air’s flight ET302 crashed off the coast of Indonesia. Both crashes involved the 737 MAX model. In April that year, Boeing had announced plans to cut back production of the 737 MAX aircraft after several countries grounded the aircraft following the crashes.
Nearly 175 countries have allowed the 737 MAX to return to service following a safety ban, with 30 airlines already restarting their MAX aircraft services. Aviation regulators in the US and Europe have already approved the aircraft for flying with extensive fixes.