After FAA missive, DGCA directs SpiceJet, Vistara, AI Express to inspect Boeing 737 planes

Following an airworthiness directive by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) asking operators to conduct an immediate inspection of the world’s most common narrow-bodied airliner Boeing 737, domestic aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), directed carriers SpiceJet, Vistara and Air India Express to inspect these planes in their fleet.

The US FAA ordered the inspection on account of these airlines being at the risk of losing power in both engines after being put in storage as a result of flight bans instituted across the world.

While a SpiceJet spokesperson said the directive applies to only a small part of its fleet of 82 Boeing 737s, Vistara said it has completed the inspection on all six of its Boeing 737 planes. Air India Express could not be reached for a comment. “The majority of our planes have completed ten cycles already and are not affected by this AD (airworthiness directive),” the SpiceJet spokesperson said.

In India, most aircraft were grounded for nearly two months because of the nationwide shutdown imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Domestic passenger flight operations resumed on May 25, even as airlines operated some of their passenger planes for cargo flights during the lockdown.

Source: https://indianexpress.com

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