Boeing plane suspension also affects Brazil

According to Anac, a decision by an American regulatory body affects Panamanian Copa Airlines flights. Company says that 21 aircraft will undergo safety inspection. The decision of the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to temporarily suspend the use of some Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft after an accident with the airline Alaska Airlines, last Friday (05/01), also affects Brazil, according to Brazilian authorities this Sunday.

The National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) confirmed that the model is used by Copa Airlines on international flights at Guarulhos airport, in São Paulo. The Panamanian company says it has 21 affected planes in its fleet, and has temporarily suspended its operations with them until they undergo a “technical review”.

According to the company, the expectation is that the aircraft will be released for safe use within 24 hours.

Copa Airlines has daily flights leaving from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to Panama, but also covers destinations in various parts of Latin America, Central America and the United States.

On Saturday, the American regulatory agency FAA said it would order the temporary grounding of 171 737 Max 9 aircraft for compulsory inspection.

This Sunday, the agency stated that the planes would remain on the ground until it was certain that they could operate safely. “We have grounded the affected aircraft, and they will remain grounded until the FAA deems them safe.”

Inspection only affects aircraft with an extra “buffered” door

The decision affects 737 Max 9 aircraft that have a deactivated emergency exit at the rear, configured only in the event of expanding the plane's maximum capacity to 220 seats. When this is not the case, the cavity is filled with a type of “plug” – the solution, which is not uncommon in the aviation industry, gives airlines flexibility to adapt aircraft according to the number of passengers.

The fuselage that covers this cavity is manufactured not by Boeing, but by two other companies. According to the Reuters news agency, however, Boeing is also responsible for installing the “buffer”.

The compulsory inspection was determined after a mid-flight explosion ripped out a window and a part of the fuselage of a plane of this type. The accident occurred during a commercial flight on American Alaska Airlines about 20 minutes after takeoff. The entire crew – 171 passengers and six crew – emerged unharmed.

ra (Reuters, ots)