Only Pilots With 1,000 Hrs Experience to Fly Boeing 737 Max: DGCA

A day after a 737 MAX aircraft crashed in Ethiopia, DGCA said interim safety measures are being taken.

File image of a Boeing 737 Max aircraft.

(Photo: Reuters)

Aviation regulator DGCA on Monday, 11 March, issued additional safety instructions to SpiceJet and Jet Airways for operating Boeing 737 MAX planes.

The pilot commanding the aircraft should have at least 1,000 hours of flying experience, according to the DGCA directions.

A day after a 737 MAX aircraft crashed in Ethiopia, killing 157 people, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said interim safety measures are being taken with inputs available at this stage.

“The DGCA will continue to closely monitor the situation and may impose/take any other operational/maintenance measures/restrictions based on the information received from accident investigation agency/FAA/Boeing,” the regulator said in a statement.

The watchdog has also asked the airlines to ensure various requirements are complied with by engineering and maintenance personnel with respect to 737 MAX planes.

The operators have to ensure that no Boeing 737 8 MAX aircraft in their fleet is operated without compliance with DGCA's latest directions with effect from 12:00 hours on 12 March, the statement said.

Jet Airways and SpiceJet Operate Boeing 737 MAX 8

Jet Airways and SpiceJet operate these carriers in India. According to a report by NDTV, SpiceJet operates all 13 of its 737 MAX planes while Jet Airways, which has five Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, is not flying any of them currently.

In a statement issued on Monday, Boeing said that there is no need to issue new guidance to operate its 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

(With inputs from PTI and NDTV)