Air Canada has announced that it will resume commercial operations of Boeing B737MAX from 1st February,2021.
The announcement follows Transport Canada clearing the way for the B737MAX to fly within Canada. In addition, the Montreal-based airline is satisfied by its own independent assessments of the B737MAX and its operating procedures.
“We are very confident the nearly two-year regulatory process undertaken by Transport Canada and other regulators worldwide ensures the utmost safety of the Boeing 737 MAX fleet from nose to tail, and from wing to wing. As part of Air Canada’s multi-layered approach to reinforcing and enhancing safety, our internal experts have also worked with independent specialists to conduct assessments of the aircraft and our operating procedures.”
said Captain Murray Strom, Vice President, Flight Operations, Air Canada.
Starting 1st February,2021, Air Canada will operate selected flights between Toronto and Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton and Winnipeg.
Air Canada’s Boeing B737MAX modified and ready to fly
Air Canada has 24 Boeing B737MAX 8 in its fleet and a further 12 on order. In March 2019, Canada banned both the B737MAX 8 and B737MAX9 from its airspace following the the Lion Air B737MAX crash in Indonesia and the later Ethiopian Airlines B737MAX crash outside Addis Ababa.
22 months later, Transport Canada issued an Airworthiness Directive for the Boeing 737 MAX. That directive outlined 4 required modifications before a B737MAX returns to service in Canadian airspace. Those modifications include:
- Installation of a new version of software for the Flight Control Computer to address the issues related to the Maneuvering Augmentation Characteristics System (MCAS);
- A revision to the MAX Display System (MDS) software to ensure that the AOA DISAGREE alert is available on aircraft as a standard configuration;
- The addition of colored caps on circuit breakers for the stick shaker, to allow for ease of identification during the use of an optional procedure included in the Canadian Aircraft Flight Manual Supplement permitting the disabling of a nuisance stick shaker; and
- Modifications to the wire routing changes for the horizontal stabilizer trim system in order to improve the physical separation of the wiring.
The working group explored three issues; how the 737 MAX was certified in the first place? What is the MCAS system about? And how did the two crashes occur?
“In addition to implementing all required updates and modifications to the aircraft, Air Canada has gone beyond by equipping its fleet with additional safety-enhancing features that exceed required regulatory standards. These measures are backed by our industry-leading flight operations, the extensive, comprehensive training programs our pilots and maintenance engineers regularly undergo, and our industry-renowned flight data analysis. Customers can therefore be assured that every crew member operating our fleet and the many employee teams working behind the scenes have an unwavering commitment to safety. We look forward to welcoming you onboard.”
added Captain Strom.
The airline says it has exceeded required regulatory standards by equipping its fleet with additional safety-enhancing features. That includes a new system called Heads Up Display (HUD) which enhances flight safety and pilot awareness. Air Canada says it is the only airline in the world with a dual HUD, giving the Captain and First Officer access.
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