THE BOEING 737 MAX IS BACK!!!

 THE BOEING 737 MAX IS BACK!!!

image source: Slashgear.com

Boeing 737 Max (B737MAX) aircraft have been grounded worldwide since March 2018, but it still operates in some countries. After the death of 346 people in two crashes, Lion Air in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines in March 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned the Boeing 737Max from service in the entire world. The above crashes were due to the same technical problems.

Image source: Bloomberg.com

About 20 months later, in November 2020, the FAA approved the B737MAX to retake the skies. According to them, the previous technical issues were solved, and the aircraft went through extreme performance tests. This decision was most welcome in European Countries, the Middle East and some Americans Countries. If the FAA decision was well received in the western world, in Asian Countries, the aircraft remains grounded. Below is a graph that compares the operators of B737MAX then andnow.

Image source: OAG analyzer

The above diagram is from February 2019-February 2021, but we are already in April 2021. Their biggest operator (Southwest Airlines) on the diagram have restarted using the aircraft in March 2021 after the release of this diagram. It is important to precise that Southwest Airlines have a total of 41 B737MAX. However, some Asian countries, such as Vietnam, recently allows the aircraft to operate over its airspace; and China is gradually recertifying the plane.

WHAT IS NEW ABOUT THIS B737MAX?

Boeing made several changes to this plane to prevent crashing again and make it as safe as possible. There are now two captors on the front of the aircraft; there is a new and more robust safety chain in the aircraft engine, a new trim model in case of emergency. Moreover, there are larger screens with an excellent graphic in the cockpit to help pilots with information analyses; there is more space for passengers inside the aircraft, et cetera.

Commercial airlines company like the B737MAX because it consumes less fuel, and it is efficient. Although the FAA recently approved this aircraft, people still have in mind the tragedies this aircraft gave rise to; time will tell if the B737MAX can still be trusted as it was four years ago.

Fasiel Rolling Chiedjo

LLB Commercial Law at Middlesex University, Dubai.

REFERENCES:

• Air transport “Vietnam mulls airspace permission to the B737 MAX”
• Reuters “China moving ‘step-by-step’ in recertifying B737MAX”
• Wikipedia “Boeing 737MAX crashes dates”
• Sam Chui “How airlines are bringing back the Max back”
• com “Return of the Max- Back in the Air”