The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a directive temporarily grounding certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 airplanes. This decision was made following an incident involving an Alaska Airlines flight.
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The Grounding Order
The FAA's order affects some Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft operated by US airlines or in US territory. The directive was issued on Saturday, and it requires immediate inspections of certain planes before they can return to flight. The order impacts 171 airplanes worldwide.
Previous Grounds
This is not the first time the FAA has grounded the Boeing 737 MAX. The aircraft was previously grounded worldwide between March 2019 and December 2020. This was after 346 people died in two similar crashes: Lion Air Flight 610 on October 29, 2018, and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, 2019. The FAA resisted grounding the aircraft until March 13, 2019, when it received evidence of accident similarities. By then, 51 other regulators had already grounded the plane. By March 18, 2019, all 387 of the aircraft in service were grounded.
Looking Forward
The FAA's recent grounding order for the Boeing 737 MAX 9 highlights the ongoing safety concerns surrounding this aircraft model. The required inspections will hopefully identify any potential issues and ensure the safety of future flights. As the situation develops, airlines, passengers, and the aviation industry will be watching closely. The hope is that these inspections will restore confidence in the Boeing 737 MAX 9 and ensure the safety of all those onboard.