EASA HAS LIFTED THE BAN ON THE USE OF THE BOEING 737 MAX IN EU AIRSPACE

The European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has confirmed that Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will be allowed to fly again in EU airspace after requirements to update software and aircraft electronics, carry out maintenance checks, revise the flight manual and retrain the crew members. The flight ban was lifted after a gap of almost two years.

“Following EASA’s extensive analysis, we have determined that the Boeing 737 MAX can be safely returned to service,” says EASA Director Patrick Ky. “This assessment was conducted completely independently of Boeing’s or the US Federal Aviation Administration’s assessments and without any economic or political pressure. We asked uncomfortable questions until we got answers, and we sought solutions that met our expectations.”

He adds that all the dots in this story are not yet connected.

“We are confident that the aircraft is safe. However, we will continue to monitor its flights closely once the aircraft is back in service. At our insistence, Boeing committed to try and make such changes on its side to make the aircraft even safer,” says the EASA director.

Boeing 737 MAX aircraft have been grounded since March 13, 2019, following the Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people. The crash comes just months after the Lion Air crash that killed 189 people.

Both crashes were found to be partially to blame for the model’s Stall Control System (MCAS). Other faults with the aircraft, including those related to the electrical wiring, were later discovered during the aircraft’s modification process, delaying its re-certification.

The full EASA press release can be viewed here >> .