NCAA lifts Ban On Boeing 737 Max Aircraft

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has lifted the ban on Boeing 737 Max Aircraft in the airspace following two accidents involving the aircraft model.

Its Director General, Captain Musa Nuhu disclosed this at the weekend.

According to Nuhu, the aircraft type has consequently been granted approval to operate in the airspace effective February 12, 2021.

According to him, intending domestic operators interested in flying the aircraft model are required to work with the Boeing Company and NCAA for the Aircraft Type Certificate Acceptance Programme to have the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft registered in Nigeria and issued with a Standard Certificate of Airworthiness.

The NCAA said foreign air operators that intend to operate the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft into Nigeria must submit evidence of compliance with the FAA AD 2020-24-02 even as the regulator said it will continue to ensure strict compliance to Safety Regulations.

Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika pronounced ban on the operations of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in airspace following two accidents involving the aircraft type in the fleet of Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines which crashed a few minutes after take-off.

He said the NCAA on November 18, 2020 received a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC) CAN-2020-24 advising it of the United States Federal Aviation Administrations (FAAs) ongoing continued operational safety activities related to returning Boeing Model 737-8 and 737-9 (737 MAX) aircraft service.

Nuhu said: ” NCAA recognises that a Joint Authority Technical Review (JATR) that comprised of International Aviation Authorities including the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Transport Canada (TC) and the Singapore Civil Aviation Authority amongst others carried out a joint review of the Boeing 737 MAX safety system alongside FAA and NASA.

“In the light of the above, the FAA has released documents on Boeing 737 Flight Standardization Board Report, revision 17, identifying special pilot training for the 737 MAX and Safety Alert for Operators.

“NCAA recognises the joint review of the Boeing 737 Max Safety System and came up with the following actions required of all foreign and domestic operators.”

Some Nigerian operators – Air Peace, Arik Air and Green Africa Airways- had indicated interest in flying the aircraft type.

Though Air Peace placed order for 10 of the aircraft type it is yet to announce cancellation of the order.

-NATION