Site icon easitimes

At least eight nations ground Boeing 737 Max 8

An Ethiopian Airlines Dreamliner jet is pictured ahead of its take off on April 27, 2013, at Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport. The carrier became the first airline to resume flying the Boeing 787 that were grounded worldwide three months ago due to battery problems. Saturday's flight will travel from Addis Ababa to Nairobi and is expected to return in the evening. The remaining three of Ethiopia's Dreaminers will also be retrofitted with a new battery that is contained, ensuring the flight can continue in case of malfuntion. Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said he was very happy to be the first airline in the world to resume flight after a three month grounding of the 50-strong fleet. Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's fastest growing carrier, is the first airline in Africa to operate the 787 Dreamliner. AFP PHOTO/JENNY VAUGHAN. (Photo by JENNY VAUGHAN / AFP)

Airline operators in at least eight countries have grounded the Boeing 737 Max 8 model following Sunday’s Ethiopian Air crash.

One hundred and fifty seven passengers and crew on board the plane all died when the plane which took off from the Adis Ababa airport, heading to Nairobi, Kenya, came down six minutes after, leaving behind it tales of pain across the world.

Citizens from more than thirty five nationalities died in the crash.

The countries where Boeing seven three seven Max eight have been grounded include China, Ethiopia, Argentina, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Cayman Island and United Kingdom.

Boeing has confirmed that it will deploy a software upgrade to the 737 MAX 8, a few hours after the Federal Aviation Administration said it would mandate “design changes” in the aircraft by April.

The U.S Federal Aviation Administration says it would require the changes in less than two months.

Just hours later, Boeing responded by confirming it will deploy a software upgrade to the 737 MAX 8 – saying it’s designed to make an “already safe aircraft even safer”

Boeing’s new model has had two fatal crashes within five months, the first just last October in Indonesia. The company says changes to the 737 MAX 8 have been in the works since.

The 737 line, which has flown for more than 50 years, is the world’s best-selling modern aircraft and viewed as one of the industry’s most reliable.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Airworthiness and Aircraft Operation Directorate have inspected all Boeing 737 Max 8 planes following the deadly crash involving the aircraft in Ethiopia.

The inspection was focused on the Angle of Attack system of the aircraft which was one of the causes of Lion Air’s JT 610 crash last year.

(TVC)

Exit mobile version