India lifted its ban on Boeing Co.’s 737 Max jet, a major boost to the American planemaker that leaves China as the only leading aviation market yet to allow the aircraft to resume service.
The South Asian nation has been satisfied with the plane’s performance since it was un-grounded in the U.S., Europe and a number of other nations, and Boeing has met India’s own requirements, which included setting up a Max simulator there, the person said, asking not to be identified because the matter is confidential.
“Worldwide 17 operators have permitted operation of 737 MAX aircraft. 34 airlines have been operating 345 aircraft with 2,89,537 hours of flying with no untoward reporting. For the foregoing reasons, the ban on 737 MAX aircraft is rescinded,” DGCA head Arun Kumar wrote in a circular.
Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet has one of the largest order book of the aircraft with 13 delivered and 142 in waiting. The airline said it would reintroduce the aircraft by the end of September. Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed airline Akasa is also in talks with Boeing for buying up to 100 737 MAX aircraft.
An aircraft technician with experience of working on the 737 MAX aircraft said around 15 days of work would be required on each aircraft to make them fit to return to the skies. “The work will include installing new hardware and software changes for the flight-control systems, operation checks, multiple inspection checks and then a test flight before the regulator declares the aircraft airworthy,” he explained.
Changes to the flight control system have been mandated by the FAA as accident investigators said that an automated flight-control system, called MCAS, was responsible for the fatal crashes. “This software update will take around two to four hours for each aircraft.
Around 200 hours of maintenance work will also have to be done on each aircraft including de-preservation of the aircraft. “Since the aircraft were in long-term storage, they will have to be brought out of preservation. In addition, there would be pilot training and updating of the engineering manuals,” he said.
Boeing’s projection suggests airlines in India will need more than 2,200 new jets worth almost $320 billion over the next 20 years.
In a statement released to stock exchange, SpiceJet said it had entered into a settlement with Dublin-based Avolon- a major lessor of the 737 MAX aircraft.
