DGCA bars 90 SpiceJet pilots from flying Boeing 737 Max

Aviation regulator DGCA has barred 90 SpiceJet pilots from operating the Boeing 737 Max aircraft after finding them not properly trained. "For the moment, we have barred these pilots from flying the Max and they have to retrain successfully for flying the aircraft," DGCA chief Arun Kumar said in a statement. He also said that the regulator will take "strict action against those found responsible for the lapse." The pilots will have to undergo training again, in a proper manner, on the Max simulator. The Boeing 737 Max planes were grounded in India by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation or DGCA on March 13, 2019, three days after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max aircraft near Addis Ababa, which killed 157 people, including four Indians.

The ban on the planes was lifted in August last year after the DGCA was satisfied with US-based aircraft manufacturer Boeing's necessary software rectifications in the aircraft. Proper pilot training on the simulator was also among the conditions of the DGCA for removing the ban on the Max planes after a span of 27 months. A SpiceJet spokesperson today confirmed that the DGCA has restricted 90 pilots of the airline from flying the Max planes.

A spokesperson for the airline said DGCA, the civil aviation regulator, “had observation on the training profile” followed by 90 Pilots. “...therefore, as per the advice of DGCA, SpiceJet has restricted 90 pilots from operating MAX aircraft until these pilots undergo retraining to the satisfaction of DGCA.” The spokesperson added these pilots continue to remain available for other Boeing 737 aircraft. SpiceJet, which has 650 pilots trained for Boeing 737 MAX operations, is the only Indian airline to operate them. It has 11 such aircraft in its fleet. The spokesperson said the restriction will not impact 60 daily flight operations by MAX aircraft. “...144 pilots are required to operate these 11 aircraft. Of the 650 trained pilots on the MAX, 560 continue to remain available, which is much more than the current requirement,” the spokesperson said.