DGCA orders 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, the DGCA ordered for inspection of Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) and 737 Classic planes that are operated by three Indian airlines SpiceJet, Vistara and AirIndia Expres.

New Delhi:The Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered for inspection of Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) and 737 Classic planes that are operated by three Indian airlines SpiceJet, Vistara and AirIndia Expres, an official said on Friday.

The decision was taken by the Indian aviation watchdog after the US' Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Friday said that Boeing Co. 737s that have been put in storage during this year’s pandemic must be inspected as they are at risk of losing power in both engines.

According to officials, the FAA warned that those engines could have corrosion that could lead to a dual-engine failure.

"Corrosion of these valves on both engines could result in a dual-engine power loss without the ability to restart. This condition if not addressed, could result in compressor stalls and dual-engine power loss without the ability to restart which could result in a force of airport landing," stated FAA.

"If corrosion is found the valve must be replaced prior to the aircraft return to service," the FAA said.

As per the data available, SpiceJet has 82 such aircraft in its fleet while Vistara has six and Air India Express has 25 such aircraft in its fleet.

India suspended all schedule all domestic and international passenger flights on March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. During this period, hundreds of airlines were grounded. The airlines operated some of their passenger planes for cargo flights during the lockdown.

After nearly two months, domestic flights in India started operating in a calibrated manner from May 25.

Notably, Air India has been operating international flights under the Vande Bharat Mission since the lockdown and private airlines, including SpiceJet and Indigo, too joined the repatriation exercise and started operating flights to the Middle East and South-East Asia.