The crash of an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft B737 Max NG on Sunday 10 March was the second within 5 months coming on the heels of the crash in Indonesia of the same aircraft type flown by the Lions Air in November 2018.

These series of fatal accidents call to question the safety in the design of the Max 8 series by the manufacturer and its certification to fly by the US FAA – the safety regulatory authority in the country of manufacturing.

Curiously, there had been no reported case of such fatal accidents of the aircraft in the US since the aircraft came into operations.

While we condole with the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate accidents, we call on Boeing, the US FAA and ICAO  to jointly consider these recurring fatal accidents on the B737 Max that have collectively claimed about 350 lives of air travelers within 5 months as a calamity to the global traveling community.

These aviation regulatory bodies should, therefore, demand that the aircraft be temporarily grounded from commercial operations. We noted that some countries including China, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Mexico, etc. have grounded the B737 Max NG fleet pending the determination of the cause of the incessant crash.

ART is very hopeful that these global Aviation bodies would respond promptly to the demand that the Boeing 737 Max 8 New Generation be suspended from commercial operations.

GABRIEL O. OLOWO FNIM, FITP

PRESIDENT