The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Tuesday suspended all Boeing 737 MAX operations in Europe as a precautionary measure following Sunday’s fatal crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa. The suspension was issued in an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) that went into effect at 1900 UTC and is applicable to both the 737 MAX 8 and 9 models.
A number of civil aviation authorities (CAAs), including those in China, Ethiopia, the U.K., France, Germany, Indonesia, Australia and Singapore, have taken similar action, and more than one of these referenced the late October crash of Lion Air Flight 610, also operated with a 737 MAX 8, in explaining its decision.
Shane Carmody, CEO and director of aviation safety with Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority, said, “[I]n light of the two recent fatal accidents, the temporary suspension of …
