Aviation authority wants to allow Boeing 737 Max airplanes entering Vietnam airspace
Vietnam’s aviation authority would consider issuing import certificate for Boeing 737 Max in case countries like China, Australia and Russia lift their respective bans on the aircraft model.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAA) said it would allow Boeing 737 Max airplanes to enter or transit Vietnam’s airspace.
| A Boeing 737 Max aircraft. Photo: DPA/VNA |
The information was revealed in CAA’s report submitted to the Ministry of Transport (MoT), citing Boeing’s efforts to address technical issues of the aircraft model and assessment from aviation authorities in the US, Canada, Europe and Brazil.
The CAA said it would continue to follow and update information from its foreign peers in China, Australia and Russia.
According to the CAA, right after aviation authorities in these three countries lift the ban on Boeing 737 Max, the Vietnamese agency would seek the MoT’s approval before issuing import certificate for Boeing 737 Max into Vietnam.
Head of CAA Dinh Viet Thang expected the process would last from six to 12 months, saying Boeing has been working on many solutions to resolve issues leading to two tragic accidents involving the Boeing 737 Max.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it is working on a testing flight plan to assess Boeing 737 Max’s compliance to safety standards to remove the ban.
Boeing 737 Max aircraft was ground worldwide after the crash of two planes operated by Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines in the 2018-19 period that killed 346 people, in which the main issue was related to the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmented System (MCAS).
A number of local airlines have expressed interests in Boeing’s 737 Max model to reduce their dependence on Airbus’ A320 aircraft.
