The Ethiopian Airlines crash which killed 157 people has left the world wondering about what went wrong with the aircraft just six minutes into the flight. This has raised fingers at Boeing's 737 Max aircraft which is Boeing's bestselling aircraft. Here's the full story
Boeing's bestseller
The Boeing 737 MAX family brings the latest technology to the most popular jet aircraft the 737. It is currently Boeing's bestselling aircraft. Airlines across the world have ordered thousands of them. 72 per cent of Boeing's deliveries last year were 737 planes. Last year was particularly promising for the company. The 737 MAX achieved a major sales milestone in December, surpassing 5,000 net orders with 181 new sales during December. It has more than 100 customers worldwide.
What happened to the Ethiopian airline?
Will anybody ever know what went wrong with the Ethiopian airline, a Boeing 737 Max 8 which went down six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa on its way to Nairobi. It ploughed into a field near Tulu Fara village, 40 miles from Addis Ababa. The black box recovered has been badly damaged and nobody knows how much information will be retrieved from it
The Lion Air crash
A jetliner carrying 189 people from Jakarta crashed into the Java sea in October last year. Minutes after take-off the plane requested ATC to return to the airport. The plane was a Boeing 737 Max 8, the workhorse that is loved by airlines around the world. It had flown only about 800 hours before it crashed killing everyone on board. Apparently, the plane had developed a technical issue one day before which was resolved 'according to procedure'. It was a setback for Indonesia's aviation sector.
Why countries love Boeing's 737 Max
As the world is still recovering from the fatal crash of Ethiopian airlines Flight ET302, the 737 Max is under scrutiny. It is quite a dent for Boeing as the 737 Max has been the most important plane in the Boeing family. A narrow-body, single-aisle aircraft,the Max has many takers. It has bigger engines and uses less fuel and incorporates more automation. It made its debut in 2017 with Lion Air becoming the first commercial operator for the aircraft. Its main operators are Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Air Canada, FlyDubai and several Chinese airlines. The Max was launched in direct competition with the A320Neo from Airbus.
Countries which have suspended use of the planes
After the recent crash in Ethiopia, countries have revisited safety checks with some countries even grounding the aircraft. A day after the deadly crash, China ordered the grounding of its 96 Max jets. China's airline regulator said Sunday it had "zero tolerance for safety hazards." Singapore's aviation regulator banned the aircraft in the country's air space. Indonesia has banned its 11 jets from the 737 Max family. South Korea's transport ministry has also ordered grounding the planes after an inspection. Mongolia has also followed suit
Why India should be worried
India is using the Max too. In light of the crash, India's aviation regulator has tightened the norms governing operation of the Max aircraft. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stated that a pilot flying a Boeing 737 MAX must have at least 1,000 hours of flying experience on such an aircraft while the co-pilot must have at least 500 hours of experience. It has also sought more stringent checks. Currently in India, SpiceJet flies Boeing 737 Max and Jet Airways too has the aircraft in its fleet.
What next for Boeing
It has been a big blow to Boeing which is currently struggling with unwanted attention from the world community. Boeing shares plummeted after the deadly crash. Passenger confidence too has taken a huge hit and travelers are seeking reassurance from carriers that fly it. The pressure has also built up inside as employees discuss the matter inside the plant with uncertainty about their future.