FG Lifts Ban on Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has lifted the ban placed on Boeing 737 MAX aircraft with effect from February 12, 2020, the authority has said.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the NCCA Director-General, Captain Musa Nuhu.

The Federal Government had banned the use of aircraft in 2019, as there were concerns regarding the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX aircrafts following its crash in Ethiopia.

But the ban was lifted following a joint review of the Boeing 737 MAX safety system by International Aviation Authorities, the US Federal Aviation Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administration on the 18th November 2020, according to the NCCA boss.

Nuhu said “The Authority received a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC) CAN-2020-24 advising it of the United States Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) ongoing continued operational safety activities related to returning Boeing Model 737-8 and 737-9 (737 MAX) aircraft service.

“This, however, made the FAA issue a final rule/Airworthiness Directive (AD) that mandated the following actions for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.”

NCCA said the actions taken to upgrade the safety of the MAX aircraft was to install new flight control computer software and new 737 MAX display system software.

Other actions taken were to incorporate certain Airplane Flight Manual flight crew operating procedures, Modify horizontal stabiliser trim wire routing installations.

Nuhu said they also conducted an angle of attack sensor system test and conducted an operation readiness flight.

He said, “NCAA recognizes that a Joint Authority Technical Review (JATR) that comprised of International Aviation Authorities such as 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.”

The NCCA boss noted that the authority would continue to ensure strict compliance to safety regulations, adding that a violation would not be condoned.