Fortnights into the deadly Ethiopian Aircraft crash that united many countries in grief with causalities of 35 nations, preliminary findings and experts ar casting their concern on mechanical fitness of the model.
This concern further strengthened as the recent Ethiopian aircraft shares similarities with the Lion Air plane crash, the same model that plunged into the sea though full results are yet to be released.
Concerns have intensified over the Aircraft model as Ethiopian and Lion aircrafts’ accident share similarities in many ways. From the unstable vertical speed to the flight time after takeoff, the two doomed aircrafts displayed various resemblances.
It was reported that satellite data and physical evidence from the sites of crashes have shown similarities between the two fleets. Full findings from the black box are yet to be released, as was described by the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport.
Last Sunday Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges told journalists that an initial analysis of the black boxes recovered from the site pointed clear similarities between the two crashes. But she said further investigations are needed for specificity, saying preliminary findings would be public in 30 days. She also said data are successfully retrieved from the uncovered blackbox by French experts.
The two aircraft crashed soon after takeoff with the Lion Air plane plunging into the sea after 15 minutes while Ethiopian Aircraft crashed after six minutes. Based on these assumptions, some are casting doubts on the mechanical efficiency of the aircraft mode until further assessments are made.
This concern led to many countries grounding the model with some suspending the aircraft not to fly in their airspace including UK. It was also reported that the pilots who flew the aircraft were seniors with good flying record. In such way, the cause of the accident though premature to pass judgment, more inclines to mechanical issues of the aircraft.
To strengthen further concern on the model, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US Department of Transportation is also investigating Boeing’s development of the 737 Max, with a grand jury in Washington DC issuing a subpoena for documents related to the commercial aircraft.
Experts last week in their interview with The Ethiopian Herald also weighed their concern on the mechanical issues of the plane. The massive grounding moves, according to the experts, seem to justify their concern with the aircraft.
Capt. Abera Lemi – Owner of National Airways for his part said countries are not only halting their Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft but banning it from their airspace, this points the concern that hangs over the model, though it is impossible to tell what caused Sunday’s crash.
The pilots were said to report some technical problems. The fact that more countries are joining Ethiopian Airlines in banning the aircraft with some other also suspending the model to fly in their airspace implicates concern on the model, said a Brigd. Gen Mesfin Haile who also trained the deceased pilot of the doomed ET 302 Boeign737-MAX 8 Aircraft.
Countries could not make the decision to ground the aircraft out of the blue. Not only governments’ but public trusts have already been eroded on the model and for countries to regain confidence they must assess the safety of the model. “I hope an independent international investigation will uncover the cause of the crash.
Airline Safety Boards involve credible experts from Ethiopian Aviation Authority and others and the result is most of the time considered to be factual. Ethiopian Airlines is leading airliner in the continent with latest and most modern fleets with good safety records.
While many media outlets continue to reporting on the efficiency of the airliner, many passengers are also still showing their solidarity. Not few peoples are taking pictures and selfies to show their trust on the biggest Airliner in Africa with myriads of flight destinations.
Herald March 22/2019
BY DESTA GEBREHIWOT
