Сaurousel with B737 approval in Russia continues

Despite reports in media, the Russian Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) has re-confirmed its decision to revoke Boeing 737 type certificate. However, the decision didn't have any practical impact as the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) on Friday decided that there are no grounds to ground all B737 in Russia. Meantime, IAC's chairman - Tatiana Anodina - already left Russia, reports Forbes.

According to MAK, the decision stems from the investigation into the fatal accident of Taterstan 737-500, VQ-BBN, on 17 Nov 2013 during a go-around in low visibility. The final report into this accident was finalized and signed by all parties involved in the investigation including the MAK, the Russian Ministry of Transport (Rostransnadzor) andFederal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia), plus investigators from UK, France, USA, and Bermuda. 

Yet some argue the decisions was prompted as a revenge for stranded Transaero, second largest airline in Russia, which was declared bankrupt. 

Tatiana Anodina, the Chairman of Interstate Aviation Committee, coincidentally owned 3% of stake in Transaero. Her son, Alexander Pleshakov, is the main shareholder of Transaero.

Meanwhile, according to sources in Forbes, Anodina and Pleshakov family left Russia for France. 

On 4th of November, IAC sent an official letter to Rosaviatsia informing Russian authorities of its decision to suspend Boeing 737’s type certificate. However, IAC cannot suspend operations of any aircraft type as final decision is up to Russian aviation authorities. Rosaviatsia, Civil Aviation Authority of Russia, has stated that B737 certificate would not be suspended. 

This aircraft type is at the same time one of the most frequently used by Russian air carriers. According to public sources nearly 190 Boeing-737 aircraft of different modifications are currently in service in Russia.