Ethiopian Airlines crash: China grounds Boeing 737 Max 8 jets in wake of disaster

[Right_in_Virginia]

Ethiopian Airlines crash: China grounds Boeing 737 Max 8 jets in wake of disaster
Guardian/UK, Mar 10, 2019,

China’s aviation authorities have ordered the country’s airlines to ground their Boeing 737 Max 8 jets after a crash in Ethiopia killed 157 people.

The disaster was the second involving the new aircraft in the last four months. In October, a Lion Air plane crashed into the sea off the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, killing all 189 onboard.

On Sunday, Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302, on its way to Nairobi from Addis Ababa, crashed six minutes after take-off. The cause of the crash is unknown, but Cayman Airlines has suspended operations of its two Boeing 737 Max 8 planes while investigations into the cause of the disaster continued.

The civil aviation administration of China (CAAC) issued a notice on Monday at 9am local time ordering domestic airlines to suspend the commercial operation of the Boeing 737- Max 8 aircraft before 6pm.

Referring to the Boeing 737 Max 8 as a Boeing 737-8, the CAAC said it made the decision “in view of the fact that the two air crashes were newly delivered Boeing 737-8 aircraft” and had “certain similarities.”

The regulator said the grounding of the planes was “in line with our principle of zero tolerance for safety hazards and strict control of safety risks”. The CAAC said it would be contacting US aviation authorities and Boeing before restoring flights of the aircraft.


More: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/11/ethiopia-airline-crash-china-grounds-boeing-737-max-8-jets-in-wake-of-disaster

[Right_in_Virginia]

Boeing, we have a problem.

[TomSea]

Ethiopian Airlines: Boeing faces questions after crash
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-47519467

A real tragedy, many big questions. A lot of foreigners were on that plane, it doesn't matter who is on it, any such lives lost are a great tragedy.

At least 19 UN workers.

[jpsb]

Boeing, we have a problem.

Yup, I expect FAA will ground the 737-8 too. Both accidents were similar which makes pilot error unlikely. Much more likely is the new flight software developed for the 737-8.

[NavyCanDo]

Boeing, we have a problem.

I work on the Program so won't won't share anything public, other that I suspect it could be another automatic Elevator Trim problem, where it fails and wants to nose the plane  into the ground, and the pilot does everything in his power to counter it.   I hope not, but sure has the earmarks.