90 SpiceJet pilots barred from operating Boeing 737 MAX aircraft: DGCA 

Aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has barred 90 SpiceJet pilots from operating the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and asked them to undergo training again. DGCA Director-General Arun Kumar told India Today, “For the moment, we have barred these pilots from flying Max and they have to retrain successfully for flying Max.”

Kumar added that the DGCA “will take strict action against those found responsible for the lapse.” According to sources, ‘stick shaker’ was dysfunctional on the simulator at the training. The ‘stick shaker’ vibrates the column and makes a loud noise when aircraft risks losing lift.

A SpiceJet spokesperson said that this DGCA order does not impact their operations as the airline has 11 MAX aircraft and around 144 pilots are needed to operate them.

“SpiceJet has 650 pilots trained on Boeing 737 MAX. DGCA had an observation on the training profile followed for 90 Pilots, and therefore as per the advise of DGCA, SpiceJet has restricted 90 pilots from operating MAX aircraft, until these pilots undergo re-training to the satisfaction of DGCA. These pilots continue to remain available for other Boeing 737 aircraft,” a SpiceJet spokesperson said.

The spokesperson further said, “Of the 650 trained pilots on the MAX, 560 continue to remain available.”

The DGCA allowed Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to fly under certain conditions in April last year. The use of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for commercial purposes continues to remain prohibited in India.

The order made certain exceptions to the previous order of March 13, 2019 that had banned all operations of B737 MAX in India because of two deadly crashes involving the aircraft – Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.

The aviation watchdog had directed that the operation of Boeing Company Model 737-8 and Boeing Company Model 737-9 will not take place to and from Indian airports and transit to enter into Indian airspace from March 13, 2019.

(With inputs from Poulomi Saha)