The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will conduct its due diligence before allowing the grounded Boeing 737 Max planes to return to Indian skies, a DGCA official said, seeking anonymity. The ill-fated Boeing 737 Max planes, grounded since March 2019 following two fatal crashes, may be allowed to operate, with the US aviation regulator, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), releasing proposed 737 Max training guidelines for pilots. Many regulators, including the FAA, are reviewing the aircraft and the new training methods before approving the aircraft to fly again. The FAA has, however, not given a time frame for service resumption.
“We are looking forward to approvals from US and European agencies like FAA and EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) for the return of 737 Max planes. Pilots flying the 737 Max aircraft in India will mandatorily have to undergo simulator training before being allowed to operate them,” the official said.
The DGCA will conduct its tests before re-certifying these planes for Indian skies. In India, no-frills carrier SpiceJet Ltd is the sole operator of Boeing 737Max planes. The airline has taken delivery of 12 Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes so far, which are at present grounded. A SpiceJet spokesperson wasn’t immediately available for comments.