The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ruled that 90 SpiceJet pilots are unfit to fly the Boeing 737 Max and has stopped them from flying until they finish another round of training.
“For the time being, we have restricted these pilots from flying the Max aircraft and they must successfully retrain for it,” DGCA chief Arun Kumar told India Today Television.
“Those found accountable for the lapse will face severe consequences,” he continued.
According to sources, the‘stick shaker,’ which vibrates swiftly and loudly to alert the cockpit crew if the aircraft is resisting lift, was malfunctioning on the simulator during the SpiceJet pilots’ training.
After 346 people perished in two crashes in five months — Lion Air flight JT610 and Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 — the Boeing 737 Max aircraft was grounded worldwide, including in India, in March 2019.After the aircraft manufacturer took corrective steps, the restriction was lifted in December 2020.
The Boeing 737 Max aircraft was given permission to fly again in India in August 2021.Only SpiceJet has B737 Max aircraft in its fleet in India.
A SpiceJet spokeswoman confirmed the news to India Today Television "SpiceJet has 650 pilots who have received Boeing 737 Max training. The DGCA made a comment about 90 pilots' training profiles. SpiceJet has prohibited 90 pilots from flying the Max aircraft until they complete re-training to the satisfaction of the DGCA. These pilots are still available to fly other Boeing 737 planes."
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