Ethiopian Airlines crash sparks global safety concerns on 737 Max planes …Boeing 737 Max not operating in Nigeria – NCAA ...Air Peace may cancel 737 Max order
The Sunday crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max which killed 157 people few minutes after take-off has sparked global concerns over the safety and continued airworthiness of the aircraft after similar aircraft type, in similar circumstances, earlier killed 189 people in Indonesia.
But the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has assured air travellers within the country of safety, stating that the aircraft type is currently not in operation in Nigeria.
The authority issued a statement in relation to the widespread global concerns triggered by the crash of B737 Max aircraft belonging to Ethiopian Airlines which killed all on board on Sunday.
Already, Ethiopian Airlines and some other countries have grounded the aircraft type in their operations.
Spokesman of NCAA, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, said “Presently, the accident aircraft type, Boeing 737 Max 8 is not in operation in the country.”
He said the authority, “in line with its Safety Oversight mandate enshrined in the Civil Aviation Act 2006, is consciously monitoring the development(s) with a view to take the necessary steps that will enhance the safety of all aircraft in operation within the Nigerian airspace.”
He assured members of the flying public that NCAA will continue to ensure that safety regulations are strictly adhered to for the safety of all in Nigeria.
“Our heart is with the airline and families of the victims of the accident,” he said.
Investigation showed that while the crashed Ethiopian Airlines aircraft was delivered four months ago, the other plane operated by Lion Air in Indonesia, was said to be two-months old.
The Boeing 737 MAX family brings the latest technology to the most popular jet aircraft of all time. The 737 MAX is designed to provide passengers with a comfortable flying experience and more direct routes to their favorite destinations.
Airlines are taking advantage of the MAX’s incredible range and flexibility, offering passengers connections to smaller cities around the globe including transatlantic and transcontinental routes.
The 737 Max produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes of America is an improvement to the B737 New Generation. It was launched on August 30, 2011 and it performed its first flight on January 29, 2016.
According to the manufacturer, the Boeing 737 MAX family brings the latest technology to the most popular jet aircraft of all time, the 737.
It was learnt that as of January 2019, Boeing had 5,011 firm orders from 78 identified customers for the 737 MAX.
According to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there are about 350 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft in operation worldwide, being flown by 54 operators,
In Nigeria, a yet to be registered Green Africa Airways had made an ambitious order for 100 units of the plane while Air Peace, Nigeria’s foremost carrier, made a firm order for 10 of the similar aircraft.
But Air Peace is yet to receive the order as the discussion is still on design stage. Analysts say the order can be reviewed following the safety concerns on 737- Max 8.
Sources close to the airline informed our correspondent that the airline may review the order and change it to another aircraft. “Though I cannot confirm this but it is one of the considerations. The order is not cast in stone. It is subject to review but we are still studying the situation,” he said.
But countries including Ethiopia, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, among others have grounded the aircraft pending the conclusion of investigation into the crashes amidst trending social media report of a certain computer glitch in the aircraft.
Many experts who spoke with our correspondent however cautioned about speculating on the causes of the crash since investigation was still ongoing.
Aviation veteran, Capt. Dele Ore, told our correspondent that it would be wrong to start speculating on the causes of the incident. “So let’s wait for the investigation,” he said.
Many, however, believe it was instructive that many airlines have taken a precautionary step to ground the jets in their fleet until the identified defects are addressed.
Similarly, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has assured Nigerians that the nation does not currently have any Boeing 737 Max on its register, therefore there is no cause for concern, he said in statement.
According to the statement signed by Mr. James Odaudu, Deputy Director, Media and Public Affairs, the minister said aviation is one the world over, and that any accident anywhere is a tragedy to the global aviation industry.
Nigeria, he said, identifies and commiserates with the Ethiopian aviation authorities, those who have lost loved ones, including two distinguished Nigerians, in their moment of grief.
“As we continue to mourn the ET crash in Addis, and pray for the victims, we wish to reassure Nigerians that we do not have any Boeing 737 Max on Nigeria’s register to worry about. Civil Aviation Authority has issued the needed advisory, please,” he said.