Boeing 737 MAX pilots to be trained for Lion Air crash-like scenario

New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS) India's aviation regulator has issued advisories to domestic airlines for training pilots flying Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on simulator in an "exercise which replicates the Lion Air crash scenario to the nearest possible extent".

The advisory was issued after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) held a review meeting with SpiceJet and Jet Airways, the two domestic airlines which operate this type of aircraft, on December 3.

"Subsequent to the release of the preliminary investigation report (relating to accident of Lion Air B 737 Max) by the National Transport Safety Committee Indonesia, a review meeting was held in DGCA on December 3, 2018 with the SpiceJet and Jet Airways operations and engineering team," the DGCA said in a statement on Thursday.

Accordingly, the regulator has advised operators "to issue instructions to crew to divert to nearest suitable airport in the event of MCAS (maneuvering characteristics argumentation system) defect in flight".

It further advised that verification flight should be conducted after rectification before undertaking any commercial flight if the aircraft had any MCAS-related snag in the flight.

However, the DGCA noted that even though Indian operators have not experienced major concern with their MAX aircraft, the decisions were taken as interim precautionary safety measures till such time Boeing issued more detailed information or clarification.

On October 29, a Lion Air's Boeing 737 MAX passenger jet flying to Jakarta from Bali crashed off-the-coast of Indonesia killing all 189 people on board.