US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen David Goldfein has ordered a review of training procedures for military pilots of large cargo and transport planes, including the Air Force One governmental aircraft, the CNN broadcaster reported.
The decision was made in the wake of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft crash that ended with all the 157 people on board being killed on March 10.
Goldfein told CNN on Wednesday that the precautionary review was aimed at making sure that the pilots were able to act rationally in emergency situations and knew how to handle automated pilot systems in case of problems.
Air Force officials reportedly voiced the belief that none of their aircraft had faced problems similar to those of the 737 MAX. One of them even told the broadcaster that automated pilot systems of the Air Force’s aircraft were not similar to those of the troubled Boeing.
Earlier in the week, media reports emerged that US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao tasked the inspector general of the Transportation Department with auditing the Federal Aviation Administration’s approval of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft following two deadly crashes that happened in the course of just several months. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has reportedly joined the investigation.
The causes of the March crash of Nairobi-bound Boeing 737 MAX are yet to be determined. The tragedy followed a deadly crash of a plane of the same type in Indonesia in late October, in which 189 people were killed. In the wake of the March crash, aviation authorities and airlines around the world have either grounded their 737 MAX 8 series aircraft or closed their airspace to them. (UNI)
US Air Force Chief orders review of pilots training after Boeing 737 March crash – Reports
