EASA curbs enthusiasm: 'A software update is not enough to get 737 max back in the air'
The FAA can make whatever decision it wants, but software updates alone are not enough to make the [...]
Ryanair
The FAA can make whatever decision it wants, but software upgrades alone are not enough to make the controversial Boeing 737 Max safe enough for EU skies. This in a nutshell is the decision of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
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La statement published on the authority's website ,which controls the skies of European states and was the first to ground the 737 Max, marks a stark contrast to what fellow U.S. agency FAA stated earlier in the week.
The decision to give the green light in the U.S. is contingent upon to the airlines' installation of new flight control software, as well as updating display screen software and aircraft manuals and some updates to pilot certifications, and it is on this last point that the European Union wants to set different standards.
"EASA has found that there are sufficient grounds to require some additional actions, which are deemed necessary to ensure the safe operation of the affected aircraft, including pilot training," the European Aviation Safety Agency statement read.
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EASA will begin a new consultation period to determine exactly what training pilots will need to undergo before the newest member of the 737 family can return to European skies.
This decision will have a major impact especially on Ryanair, the largest European buyer of the "max." Boeing has made an ad hoc arrangement designed by the company to have the highest possible number of seats, a total of 200 with an average of 12 more seats than all the other airlines that have relied on this model for short/medium-haul flights.
Ryanair was expecting the first deliveries as early as late 2019, now we are unlikely to see the new aircraft make an impact in the summer schedule as well as hoped by the Irish airline.
