The Indian aviation watchdog has launched new security measures for Boeing 737 plane after issues over the potential dangers with its rudder management methods. An plane rudder is a major device that controls the motion of the jet.
The Directorate Normal of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has requested airways working Boeing 737 plane to conduct security danger assessments and stop some sorts of instrument touchdown.
“All flight crews are to learn by a round/advisory concerning the potential of a Jammed or restricted Rudder management system. Applicable mitigations should be communicated,” DGCA mentioned in a press release.
Pilots should be skilled to recognise and deal with this concern, and a few superior touchdown methods will probably be briefly stopped, as a part of the security measures.
The security measures will have an effect on auto-landing operations, particularly throughout winter when low-visibility landings are extra widespread. No landings in low visibility/fog or poor climate will probably be attainable till the difficulty is resolved.
Boeing in a press release mentioned, “We thank the NTSB for his or her ongoing investigation and are reviewing their suggestions. In August, we knowledgeable affected 737 operators of a possible situation with the rudder rollout steerage actuator, which is a part of an optionally available autoland system. The autoland system consists of layers of redundancy and we’re working with our provider to develop extra steerage to handle the potential situation. We are going to hold our regulator knowledgeable of our progress. We will even guarantee flight crews have the suitable working procedures.”
This straight impacts Air India Categorical, Akasa, SpiceJet, and the Indian Air Power which function completely different variants of the Boeing 737 jetliner.
In the meantime, SpiceJet mentioned, “None of our plane is affected by the actual half quantity and serial quantity.”
Air India Categorical mentioned the Boeing 737 rudder system advisory is “relevant to solely 5 of the plane in our fleet”. “We’ve got initiated the method of compliance in adherence to the regulatory necessities,” an Air India Categorical Spokesperson added.
Boeing 737 is a legacy plane broadly operated in India. It’s a part of the VIP squadron and even the Prime Minister and the President fly on it.
The DGCA assertion mentioned it has taken into cognizance of a report by the US Nationwide Transportation Security Board that highlighted security issues involving Boeing 737 airplanes outfitted with a sure kind of rudder management system.
The NTSB had Thursday issued security suggestions concerning the potential danger of jammed rudder controls on some 737 plane. The report adopted a February incident wherein rudder pedals have been jammed within the impartial place on a 737 Max 8 plane whereas touchdown in Newark. There have been no accidents.