China orders its airlines to suspend use of Boeing 737 Max aircraft - media

[webfact]

China orders its airlines to suspend use of Boeing 737 Max aircraft - media

 

The first Boeing 737 MAX 7 is unveiled in Renton, Washington, U.S. February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Jason Redmond

 

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's aviation regulator has ordered domestic airlines to suspend their Boeing 737 Max aircraft, Chinese media outlet Caijing reported on Monday, following a deadly crash on Sunday of a 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines.

 

Citing industry sources familiar with the matter, Caijing said domestic airlines, which operate some 60 such airplanes, had received orders from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and halted their use on Sunday.

 

A Boeing spokesman declined to comment. The CAAC could not be immediately reached for comment.

 

An Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 bound for Nairobi crashed minutes after take-off on Sunday, killing all 157 people on board.

 

This is the second crash of the 737 MAX, the latest version of Boeing’s workhorse narrowbody jet that first entered service in 2017.

 

In October, a 737 MAX flown by Indonesian budget carrier Lion Air flying from Jakarta on a domestic flight crashed 13 minutes after take-off, killing all 189 passengers and crew on board.

 

The cause of that crash is still being investigated. A preliminary report issued in November, before the cockpit voice recorder was recovered, focused on airline maintenance and training and the response of a Boeing anti-stall system to a recently replaced sensor but did not give a reason for the crash.

 

Caijing, a state-run news outlet that covers finance and economics, said many flights scheduled to use 737 Max planes would instead use the 737-800 models.

 

China Business News also reported on its website the 737 Max suspension, saying the regulators' order had been issued orally.

 

According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24 there were no Boeing 737 Max 8 planes flying over China as of 0043 GMT on Monday.

 

Most of Air China's 737 MAX fleet of 15 jets landed on Sunday evening, with the exception of two that landed on Monday morning from international destinations, according to FlightRadar24.

 

It did not list any upcoming scheduled flights for the planes.

 

China Eastern’s four 737 MAX jets landed on Sunday evening and no further flights were scheduled until Tuesday, FlightRadar24 data showed.

 

Cayman Airways has grounded both of its new 737 MAX 8 jets until more information was received, the Cayman Islands airline said in a statement on its website.

 

Fiji Airways said it had followed a comprehensive induction process for its new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft and it had full confidence in the airworthiness of its fleet.

 

"We continue to ensure that our maintenance and training programme for pilots and engineers meets the highest safety standards," the airline said.

(Reporting by Josh Horwitz and John Ruwitch; Editing by Richard Pullin)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-11

[MalandLee]

Sensible precautions by both China and the Cayman islands

 

Boeing 737 MAX orders and deliveries - Boeing need to fix this ASAP....

	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	Total
Orders	150	908	668	861	409	530	759	694	106	5,111
Deliveries	–	–	–	–	–	–	74	226	20	350

[tomacht8]

5 minutes ago, MalandLee said:

Sensible precautions by both China and the Cayman islands

 

Boeing 737 MAX orders and deliveries - Boeing need to fix this ASAP....

	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	Total
Orders	150	908	668	861	409	530	759	694	106	5,111
Deliveries	–	–	–	–	–	–	74	226	20	350

Absolutely. Assumption is obvious that there is a software error in the computer trim.

[DavoTheGun]

There is too much software combined with poor pilot skills, this id only going to get worse!

[steve187]

nok air have 6 on order, Norweign fly a few. ( 14) will others stop using them, i am sure the public would not choose to fly on one at the moment

Edited March 11, 2019 by steve187

[geriatrickid]

The Chinese have been flying the aircraft since 2017 without incident. The Lion Air preliminary investigation indicated that there was a maintenance weakness and questionable training. No one knows why the Ethiopian  aircraft went down, but again, the airplane was just starting its operations at the the airplane. Everything is pointing to poor training and a lack of familiarity with the  control system.

The Chinese move has everything to do with its trade dispute with  America and nothing to do with safety. If safety was a concern, it would deal with some more urgent safety issues at its airports.

[steve187]

1 hour ago, geriatrickid said:

The Chinese have been flying the aircraft since 2017 without incident. The Lion Air preliminary investigation indicated that there was a maintenance weakness and questionable training. No one knows why the Ethiopian  aircraft went down, but again, the airplane was just starting its operations at the the airplane. Everything is pointing to poor training and a lack of familiarity with the  control system.

The Chinese move has everything to do with its trade dispute with  America and nothing to do with safety. If safety was a concern, it would deal with some more urgent safety issues at its airports.

Boeing should not make a plane that is so different to all its preceding planes without making sure all the airlines that they sell it too are aware of the new addition to aircraft 'safety'. they should all be grounded until this issue is sorted.

[welovesundaysatspace]

2 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

If safety was a concern, it would deal with some more urgent safety issues at its airports.

So you’re suggesting to apply bad safety practices not only in the airports but also with the fleets? 

[Thakkar]

3 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

 

The Chinese move has everything to do with its trade dispute with  America and nothing to do with safety.

 

You may be right. The Chinese Authorities may have reacted differently if this had been an Airbus. But that only means that they’d be favoring Europeans as opposed to targeting Americans. I think they’ve done the right thing, even if it’s for the wrong actual reason.

[Chelseafan]

6 hours ago, MalandLee said:

Sensible precautions by both China and the Cayman islands

 

Boeing 737 MAX orders and deliveries - Boeing need to fix this ASAP....

	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	Total
Orders	150	908	668	861	409	530	759	694	106	5,111
Deliveries	–	–	–	–	–	–	74	226	20	350

Possibly but we all know that this is linked to go the ongoing trade dispute between the US and China.

Do you really think that China would ground all their fleet if the planes came from a Chinese company ?

[car720]

44 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

Possibly but we all know that this is linked to go the ongoing trade dispute between the US and China.

Do you really think that China would ground all their fleet if the planes came from a Chinese company ?

Yes.  They often react this way.  They have possibly the best fast train setup in the world and if there is any doubt then they shut it down.  They would certainly do the same with planes.

[welovesundaysatspace]

Appreciate the Chinese’s action. Hope that other countries or at least the airlines follow suit. Save me the time to checking what plane I am about to book and risking that I might end up on one of these 787 nevertheless when they have to change for whatever reason. 

[LomSak27]

6 hours ago, MalandLee said:

Sensible precautions by both China and the Cayman islands

 

Boeing 737 MAX orders and deliveries - Boeing need to fix this ASAP....

	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	Total
Orders	150	908	668	861	409	530	759	694	106	5,111
Deliveries	–	–	–	–	–	–	74	226	20	350

I'm sure it has more to do with trade war, and Huawei as China has had no problems with the planes.

 

39 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

Do you really think that China would ground all their fleet if the planes came from a Chinese company ?

 

[sfokevin]

You would think that given President Trump has a “strong and personal relationship” with Chairmn Xi it would be a simple phone call to resolve this?... 

[Pedrogaz]

Cancel all Boeing Max flights and orders until they fix this mess.

[Lacessit]

It's a win-win for the Chinese. They get applause for the safety aspects, and ratchet up the pressure on Trump.

[atyclb]

2 new state of the art planes crash, same make and model.   could not fault any carrier that suspends flights on it until it is known what happened and why

[White Christmas13]

41 minutes ago, atyclb said:

2 new state of the art planes crash, same make and model.   could not fault any carrier that suspends flights on it until it is known what happened and why

A sensible post

[Baerboxer]

8 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

The Chinese have been flying the aircraft since 2017 without incident. The Lion Air preliminary investigation indicated that there was a maintenance weakness and questionable training. No one knows why the Ethiopian  aircraft went down, but again, the airplane was just starting its operations at the the airplane. Everything is pointing to poor training and a lack of familiarity with the  control system.

The Chinese move has everything to do with its trade dispute with  America and nothing to do with safety. If safety was a concern, it would deal with some more urgent safety issues at its airports.

 

Nothing points to poor training at the moment. Read Boeing's comments on the Lion Air crash. 

[stevenl]

8 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

The Chinese have been flying the aircraft since 2017 without incident. The Lion Air preliminary investigation indicated that there was a maintenance weakness and questionable training. No one knows why the Ethiopian  aircraft went down, but again, the airplane was just starting its operations at the the airplane. Everything is pointing to poor training and a lack of familiarity with the  control system.

The Chinese move has everything to do with its trade dispute with  America and nothing to do with safety. If safety was a concern, it would deal with some more urgent safety issues at its airports.

Maybe, we don't know.

I do know that I as a customer don't want to fly this plane right now, so I consider it good they are banning use right now.

[Ulic]

13 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

The Chinese have been flying the aircraft since 2017 without incident. The Lion Air preliminary investigation indicated that there was a maintenance weakness and questionable training. No one knows why the Ethiopian  aircraft went down, but again, the airplane was just starting its operations at the the airplane. Everything is pointing to poor training and a lack of familiarity with the  control system.

The Chinese move has everything to do with its trade dispute with  America and nothing to do with safety. If safety was a concern, it would deal with some more urgent safety issues at its airports.

True, but even the US pilots have been very critical of Boeing training manuals in regards to the issues surrounding the LION AIR crash. As for the Chinese, I am unaware of any problems with Chinese airports. My brother is flying there now and he has not mentioned anything other than the Big Brother aspect.  Extremely strict flying standards. Cameras in the cockpit, everything filmed and reviewed, etc...etc... As for the Chinese grounding 737 Max airplanes, yes, political negotiating and gamesmanship by the Chinese grounding the planes. China has forced both Air Bus and Boeing to build plants in China. Forced technology transfer as the Chinese develops their own plane. We will see what comes out during the investigation. I find eye witness reports of flames coming out of the rear of the plane before augering in interesting. Sounding very different than the LION AIR crash other than the nose dive into the ocean.

[Cryingdick]

Let China ground the planes if they want to. If they do it mistakenly or because in retaliation it is only them hurting themselves. If they feel that they have legitimate reasons then good on them for taking this step. Either way Boeing isn't some fly by night company. If it turns out there actually is a problem with the design or software of its planes Boeing will pour every resource known to man kind to resolve it. 

 

Everywhere else it is business as usual and Boeing has stated they have no reason given the information they have received to change their guidance on anything. Boeing is under extreme scrutiny and I trust them even if the news is bad they will confirm findings if/when they are based on fact.

[steve187]

12 hours ago, stevenl said:

Maybe, we don't know.

I do know that I as a customer don't want to fly this plane right now, so I consider it good they are banning use right now.

i agree i would not want to take a chance, all should be grounded, and yes this will cause lots of problems for airlines. my next flight is on a A380 tried and tested and the pilots know how they work.

 

surely if its the new anti stall feature causing the problem, with some additional training it could be overcome in a short period of time.

[JimSaints]

but Thai regulators will protect Lion Air's profit on the cost of safety … mind boggling

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, JimSaints said:

but Thai regulators will protect Lion Air's profit on the cost of safety … mind boggling

You could say the same thing, even worse since they have declared worldwide there is nothing to worry about, about US regulators.