'Our fleet remains absolutely safe.'
Akasa Air Founder and Chief Executive Officer Vinay Dube has allayed safety concerns regarding a Boeing 737 Max 'software glitch' during landing.
The airline has a fleet of 43 Boeing 737 Max planes, which fly across the country and abroad.
In an interview with Business Standard, Dube said: "Following our assessment and discussions with Boeing, we can confirm there is no impact whatsoever on our operational continuity, new aircraft delivery schedules, and induction timelines.
"Our fleet remains absolutely safe."
Key Points
- Akasa Air CEO Vinay Dube has said the airline's Boeing 737 MAX fleet remains safe despite concerns over a software glitch.
- The software issue can affect automated flight guidance during a very specific landing manoeuvre, requiring pilots to fly the aircraft manually.
- Dube said Akasa has not encountered the specific situation in four-and-a-half years of operations.
- Akasa has 43 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and a total order for 226 planes, with deliveries scheduled through 2032.
Boeing 737 MAX Software Glitch
The concerns came to light just a few days ago when The Wall Street Journal newspaper reported that Boeing had informed buyers in August about a software glitch in its 737 MAX jets, while maintaining that it posed no safety risk.
In simple terms, if a 737 MAX aircraft aborts a landing, the automated navigation system may cut off.
However, the pilots can maintain manual control of the plane.
Explaining the matter, Dube said: "This is not a universal software issue. "It is just that in a very very specific manoeuvre, the automated flight-guiding system cannot be used."
"In such a case, the pilot has to fly the plane manually. If you ask me how often we have encountered this specific situation in our four and a half years of flying, the answer is zero."
Pilots Can Fly Manually
Responding to whether the airline has had discussions regarding the software issue with India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Akasa Air CEO said: "We work closely with the DGCA.
"Boeing also has a large outfit in India, and they are in touch with the regulator as well.
"Everyone is fully aware of the situation."
Dube also made it clear that there is no problem with registration of the Boeing 737 MAX and that the airline is readying to get deliveries of some planes very soon.
He added that Boeing is working on a software fix to address the issue.
DGCA Aware Of Issue
However, some global carriers have told Boeing that they would not like to take delivery of the new Boeing 737 MAX jets until the issue is resolved.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US has said it will delay certification of the new Boeing MAX 10 jets -- the longest version of the 737 -- until it is satisfied that there is no safety issue at all.
However, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said that the 737 MAX is safe as it does not take away control of the aircraft from the pilots.
Akasa Has 226-Plane Order
In India, Akasa Air holds the largest order for the Boeing 737 MAX.
Out of a total order of 226 aircraft, the airline has already received 43 planes, with the remaining fleet scheduled for phased delivery by 2032.
Akasa has already added five of these planes to its fleet during the current financial year.
The airline is also looking for another order in the next few years to ensure that it can continue to expand.
However, the size and scope of this expansion have not been finalised.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff
