Refuting today’s New York Times reporting, Ethiopia Airlines said all its pilots have gone through Boeing recommended training before they start flying the B-737-800 MAX.
“…Ethiopian Airlines confirm that Ethiopian pilots have completed the Boeing recommended and FAA approved differences training from the B-737 NG aircraft to the B-737 MAX aircraft before the phase in of the B-737-800 MAX fleet to the Ethiopian operation and before they start flying the B-737-800 MAX,” Ethiopian said, in its press statement this afternoon.
“The pilots had also been made aware of, and well briefed on the Emergency Airworthiness Directive issued by the FAA following the Lion Air accident. The content of the airworthiness directive has also been well incorporated in all pilot training manuals, operational procedures and working manuals,” it said.
The New York Times and Reuters have reported today using anonymous source that the pilot hasn’t taken training on B-737 MAX full flight simulator though the simulator is already in place.
The statement further indicated that “the B-737 MAX full flight simulator is not designed to simulate the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) problems.”
“Ethiopia Airlines urges all concerned to refrain from making uninformed, incorrect, irresponsible and misleading statements during the period of the accident investigation. International regulations require all stakeholders to wait patiently for the final result of the investigation,” it said.