No 737 MAX 8 or 9 aircraft registered on the Maltese registry – Transport Malta

There are no 737 MAX 8 or 9 aircraft registered on the Maltese registry, a Transport Malta official told The Malta Independent.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recently issued a directive grounding all Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 model aircraft following two deadly crashes. The crash in Ethiopia came five months after an Indonesian Lion Air jet plunged into the ocean.

The Malta Independent sent a number of questions to the Civil Aviation Directorate within Transport Malta, asking for details about the ban including how the aircraft will be cleared for flight, what checks airline operators will conduct, and whether there are airlines which operate such planes to and from Malta.

Transport Malta explained that Malta suspended the flight operations of all Boeing Model 737-8 MAX and 737-9 MAX after EASA issued directives to this effect.

“Malta as an EU member state follows EASA directives. EASA together with other stakeholders will immediately be aware of data emerging from the ongoing investigation. It is in everyone’s interest that a thorough investigation is carried out to determine the facts. EASA will update member states on new developments.

“Following the prior accident on the Lion Air Flight 610 of October 29, 2018, with an aircraft of the same model, the Federal Aviation Administration had issued what is known as a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community. They had validated the airplane maintenance and functional check instructions, conducted simulator sessions to verify the operational procedures and several other measures. Boeing also had to enhance the flight control system and other design changes by next month.

“There are close to four hundred 737 MAX aircraft, but at the moment no airline can fly them. There are no aircraft of the type registered on the Maltese registry. Transport Malta’s Civil Aviation Directorate continues to follow the ongoing developments closely and looks forward to the conclusions of the investigation.”