A 737 MAX 8 ferry flight was denied the right to fly over Germany, forcing an unplanned landing in France for refueling.
As mandatory worldwide groundings continue for the troubled 737 MAX 8, Norwegian is attempting to consolidate its fleet in Stockholm. When the ban came down, many 737s were left scattered at airports around the region. This particular 737 MAX 8 had been parked in Málaga, Spain for months. Norwegian sent a pilot and first officer to bring it back, known as a ferry or repositioning flight.
But as the aircraft approached German airspace, German air traffic controllers denied permission for the plane to cross over into Germany, forcing the aircraft to circle at the French-German border while plotting an alternate route. It also forced a refueling stop in Châlons Vatry Airport (XCR).
Addressing the airspace denial, Norwegian said:
Just before entering German airspace both the German and French authorities sent a notice that prohibited repositioning flights of the Boeing 737 Max in their airspace.
Interesting that France is mentioned too, since the aircraft was in French airspace and eventually allowed to land in France. Perhaps the French were just not paying attention?
#737MAX 8 Norwegian (SE-RTB) stuck in Malaga, Spain for months, departed for a ferry flight (empty) to Stockholm on June 11th, without realising Germany wouldn’t allow it in its airspace and was forced to land in Paris-Vatry, France. pic.twitter.com/yIqLquJbAc
— Aero News Journal-Daily Civil Aviation News (@FlyingFreak73) June 13, 2019
The Deutsche Flugsicherung (German air traffic control) released a statement of its own saying its policy prohibiting 737 MAX aircraft from using German airspace was not new and well-published. Norwegian disputed this, “If we had received any contrary information, we obviously wouldn’t have taken off.”
The The European Aviation Safety Agency banned 737 MAX commercial flights from European Union airspace on March 12th. But each country was left to decide whether to allow repositioning flights over its own airspace.
Germany has taken the cautious approach.
CONCLUSION
By denying the 737 MAX 8 passage over German airspace, the risk of crash and carbon emissions were increased. Germany is free to protect its airspace as it sees fit, but this certainly seems like a bit of overkill. The Norwegian 737 MAX 8 did take off again and make it back to Stockholm in one piece.
It’s hard to think of Germany and the rest of the EU as an ally anymore. They blatantly just want to rub it in the eye of Boeing to prop up Airbus…just like they blatantly target only American companies for nebulous multi billion dollar fines, while shamelessly protecting their own companies and markets. They are also openly trying their best to cosy up to Iran and circumvent US sanctions…and cosying up to Russia too. Remind me again why we have spent trillions over the last half century protecting them? It’s time for them to fend for themselves.
Boeing & the US started all this trouble with trying to ban and punish Bombardier thru tarrifs on the CS220 jet program , 300% tariffs? that program is now 51%owned by Airbus and called A 220 and is now a world class airliner,KARMA bites them in the butt
Looks like the Russians are in the comments section.
How does Germany denying them airspace privileges increase the risk of a crash? Just because more time spent in the air? If so, that’s a pretty misleading statement.
An extra takeoff and landing. Both crashes occurred due to takeoff complications.
Come on.
At this point, given crew awareness and training (to put it mildly), frankly your suggestion that an additional takeoff poses a safety issue is just plain nonsense. With all that’s now known and widely understood about the systems (especially by the pilots flying them), do you (or does any rational person) seriously think the Norwegian Air pilots would make the same mistakes that the crews in Indonesia and Ethiopia made?
Your comment is disingenuous and just feeds the unjustified hysteria that ignorant self-appointed expects and the general public have whipped up around this aircraft. Shame on you.
As somebody who lives under the German skies I agree with our aviation authorities decision.The prudent route for a ferry flight of an airplane that is not airworthy would have taken this flight along the Portuguese, French, Belgian, Netherlandic, German and Danish coasts into the Baltic Sea and onwards to Stockholm. Surely a plane with transatlantic range is capable to fly that route. There is a reason why Airbus test flights, even of proven designs, are done over the Mediterranean.
@ Matthew: I see your point regarding the extra take-off and landing but I find it curious that you as a frequent traveller complain about “increased carbon emissions” … how many flights every day are not necessary?
Im not German but it seems they took a sensible approach to not allow the thing in their airspace as long as Boeing has not resolved the problem.
@WR2 why in heaven should Germany not circumvent US sanctions? Obviously US can sanction whoever they want but why should anyone else be bothered by that?
Would the US follow let say Kazachstan if it sanctioned Mongolia? I don’t see your logic.
Let’s put it this way; why wasn’t this cleared up before the ferry flight when filing the flight plan? So it more Norwegian that should’ve taken that in account. Germany has every right to deny a confirmed death trap out of its sky whether you like it or not. I know I would. As long as this plane is not cleared is is a death trap no matter what the industry would like us to believe.
And even if they made it safely home, they should have known that this might happen, and clear that s way before taking off. That would have been the prudent approach to begin with.
Germany has closed the airspace to the B 737 Max on 12th March 2019. Relevant NOTAMs were published. Ban remains in effect until 22 June 2019, it may be extended.
EASA has also banned B 737 Max on the 25th March 2019. Relevant NOTAMS were published. One ferry flight is permitted – but relevant details are to be published at a later date. Do note that the national airspace may be closed at the discretion of the national authorities regardless of EU regulation.
Find more information here: https://www.dfs.de/dfs_homepage/en/Press/Press%20releases/2019/12.03.2019.-%20Boeing%20737%20Max%208%20and%20Max%209%20banned%20from%20German%20airspace/
and
https://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/2019-0051R1
The links you posted say the German ban is till June 12.
Is this the new way to defend Boeing incompetency? You really surprised me Matthew….