Ethiopian airline slams New York Times over report on pilot of crashed plane

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Management of Ethiopian Airline has expressed disappointment over an article published in the New York Times which alleged that the airline that crashed on March 10 killing all 157 travellers had a Max 8 Simulator but that the pilot was not trained to use it.

In a statement, the airline described the article as wrong reporting  that Ethiopian Airlines pilots 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-737-8 MAX fleet to the Ethiopian operation  before they started flying the B-737-8 MAX.

“The pilots are also made aware 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”, the airline said, adding that the B-737 MAX full flight simulator is not designed to simulate the MCAS system problems.

“We urge all concerned to refrain from making such uninformed, incorrect, irresponsible and misleading statements during the period of the accident investigation”, adding that International regulation require all stakeholders to wait patiently for the result of the investigation.

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Ethiopian Airlines expresses its disappointment on the following wrong reporting of the The New York Times titled “Ethiopian Airlines Had a Max 8 Simulator, but Pilot on Doomed Flight Didn’t Receive Training”

Ethiopian Airlines pilots 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-737-8 MAX fleet to the Ethiopian operation and before they start flying the B-737-8 MAX.

The pilots are also made aware 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. 
The B-737 MAX full flight simulator is not designed to simulate the MCAS system problems.

We urge all concerned to refrain from making such uninformed, incorrect, irresponsible and misleading statements during the period of the accident investigation. International regulatiowrequire all stakeholders to wait patiently for the result of the investigation.