Indonesia May Ground Boeing 737 Max 8: Flight Observer

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - China's aviation regulator had suspended their Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft operations since Sunday afternoon, March 10, 2019, in the wake of a deadly crash of Ethiopian Airlines ET 320 plane.

Responding to the issue, flight observer Gerry Soejatma said that Indonesia had a possibility to follow the action, grounding all its Boeing 737 planes. However, the regulation could be taken only should the cause of the ET 320 plane crash is proved the same as that of the first crash, Lion Air JT 610.

“If the cause is the same, it’s proper for us to ground [the aircraft],” said Gerry in a short message to Tempo today, March 11. Indonesia, Gerry added, Indonesia should obtain valid data regarding the plane crash in Ethiopia to make a move.

Read also: Ethiopian Airlines Crash; Gov't Strictly Monitor Boeing 737 Max 8

According to Gerry, a determination to suspend a flight is not simple, and that requires study. Gerry said that Boeing had conducted an investigation on the second crash of Boeing 737 Max 8 and would later release solution.

“If [Boeing] issues adequate solution [over the crash], we do not have to ground the planes. Otherwise, [the country] has the high possibility to initiate the plane grounding,” he noted.

During the time, the Transportation Ministry’s Air Transportation Directorate General would strictly monitor the operations of Boeing 737 Max 8 in the country. The director general Polana B Pramesti said that the ministry would carry out several improvements on the aircraft type and monitor the investigation process on the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash.

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA