The inspections were required to be completed by noon on Sunday.
India’s aviation regulator, The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has ordered one-time inspections on the emergency exits of all Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft operated by three airlines in the country. The move is similar to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) order to inspect select Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft after the AS1282 incident on January 5.
The order is a precaution, as no Indian carrier operates the MAX 9 variant. However, given the aircraft type’s troubling past, the regulator is mandating that checks are performed immediately.
“A one time inspection”
According to The Times Of India, DGCA’s directive requires Air India Express, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet to inspect all 737 MAX 8 currently operating in their fleets by 12:00 on Sunday, January 7.
A senior DGCA official confirmed the order in a statement obtained by The Times Of India.
“Pursuant to the Alaska Airlines incident involving Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft, there have been no inputs/guidance from Boeing so far. None of the Indian air operators have Boeing 737-9 Max as part of their fleet yet. However, as an abundant precautionary measure, we have directed all Indian air operators to carry out a one time inspection of the emergency exits immediately on all Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft currently operating as part of their fleet.”
How many MAXs are operated by Indian airlines?
Across the three carriers, 41 MAX 8 aircraft operate in India at the time of publication. Air India Express has nine planes, Akasa has 22 aircraft, and SpiceJet operates 12 jets. More aircraft have been ordered but have not yet been delivered. SpiceJet plans to replace some aging 737-800s with the MAX 8, reportedly having more than 100 on order. According to The Times Of India, a spokesperson said the carrier would “adhere by the DGCA directive on the Max-8.”
Air India has as many as 190 MAX aircraft on order for its wholly-owned low-cost subsidiary, but the -9 variant is excluded, with the -8 and -10 variants as options. The airline reportedly said it has been in touch with Boeing to get more information and will comply with any advisories set by regulators.
The MAX 8-200
Akasa has a remaining 54 MAX 8s on order, with reports suggesting the airline could place another order for nearly 200 additional MAX aircraft. The carrier’s 20th aircraft is a 737 MAX 8-200, a specially-built -8 variant designed to accommodate more passengers in a high-density configuration.
Source: https://simpleflying.com/india-aviation-authority-checks-boeing-737-maxs/
