NCAA Lifts Ban on Boeing 747 Max Aircraft

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has lifted the ban placed on the Boeing 737 Max aircraft in the Nigerian airspace.

In a statement signed by the NCAA Director-General, Capt. Musa Nuhu, the agency said the approval was effective February 12.acMinister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, had announced a ban on the operations of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in Nigeria after two accidents of Lion Air flight 610, and an Ethiopian Airlines flight 320, crashed few minutes after takeoff.

The statement received on Sunday detailed how the United States Federal Aviation Administration dealt with the matter till the ban on the plane model was lifted.

The statement read in part, “On the 18th November 2020, the Authority received a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community CAN-2020-24 advising it of the United States Federal Aviation Administration’s ongoing continued operational safety activities related to returning Boeing Model 737-8 and 737-9 (737 MAX) aircraft service.

“This, however, made the FAA issue a final rule/Airworthiness Directive that mandated the following actions for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft which includes installing a new flight control computer software and new 737 MAX display system software; incorporating certain Airplane Flight Manual flight crew operating procedures, modifying horizontal stabiliser trim wire routing installations; conducting an angle of attack sensor system test, and an operational readiness flight.

“NCAA recognises that a Joint Authority Technical Review that comprised of International Aviation Authorities such as the European Aviation Safety Agency, Transport Canada and the Singapore Civil Aviation Authority amongst others carried out a joint review of the Boeing 737 MAX safety system alongside FAA and NASA.”

The NCAA said it recognised the joint review of the Boeing 737 Max Safety System.

Similarly, it directed all intending domestic operators to work with the Boeing company and NCAA for the Aircraft Type Certificate Acceptance Programme in order to have the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft registered in Nigeria and issued a standard Certificate of Airworthiness.

Also, it tasked foreign air operators that intend to operate the aircraft into Nigeria to submit evidence of compliance with the FAA AD 2020-24-02 while promising to ensure strict compliance to safety rules.