India is considering setting an experience threshold for pilots who fly Boeing's 737 MAX planes, as it moves to ensure safety once the aircraft returns to service, a senior official of the air safety regulator told Reuters .
The 737 MAX, the fastest-selling plane in the history of Boeing, has been grounded worldwide since March, after 346 people were killed in two crashes in five months.
Boeing is making software changes, readying a new pilot training plan and must run a key certification test flight to get approval from the US regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), before the planes can resume flying.
Related news:Boeing 737 MAX saga: How the FAA nearly brought the global aviation industry to its knees
India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) may consider mandating a minimum number of flying hours for pilots of the 737 MAX, the source said, adding a decision would be made once it is clear when the planes are fit to return to the air. “Pilot training is a serious matter for the DGCA and the airlines will also need to work on building pilot confidence,” said the source, who sought anonymity, as the discussions were private.
Also read:Some US airlines willing to take 737 MAX jets before pilot training approval: Sources
The regulator will also make it mandatory for Boeing to set up simulators in India and for airlines to carry out comprehensive pilot training before it allows the planes to start flying, the source added. Reuters could not immediately reach the DGCA to seek comment.
In a statement, Boeing said it was working closely with global regulators on a training program to help enhance pilots' understanding of the updated 737 MAX flight control systems. “Boeing will continue its commitment to developing training that supports safe, efficient operations and meets regulatory requirements,” it said in the emailed statement.
DGCA is one of several regulators that have indicated they will perform independent inspections of the grounded planes once the US FAA clears them to fly.
SpiceJet has about a dozen Boeing 737 MAX planes in its fleet and 155 on order - among the largest single orders for the narrow-body plane. Boeing had delivered close to 400 of the 737 MAX globally before the March grounding, and it has nearly 5,000 orders for the aircraft, a more fuel-efficient version of its best-selling single-aisle 737 series.
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.