MOSCOW, November 5. /TASS/. The Interstate Aviation Committee suspends the certificate for all Boeing-737 aircraft in Russia until receiving a joint notice of the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency and the US Federal Aviation Administration on the aircraft airworthiness. Such a statement is contained in IAC letter to heads of Russian and US authorities posted on the IAC website.
IAC founded in 1991 is the collective authority of eleven Former Soviet Union republics with authority to regulate the air space use. The committee deals with certification of aircraft and investigation of air accidents.
“IAC Air Register as the authorized agency in airworthiness standardization and type certification has to suspend all type certificates for Boeing-737 family aircraft issued by it in the course of validation until receipt of a joint notice of the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency and the US Federal Aviation Administration that Boeing-737 type aircraft operating in Russia are in condition supporting their safe operation,” IAC said in the letter.
IAC letter signed by the Air Register Chairman Vladimir Bespalov says Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency was in correspondence with the relevant US authority concerning urgent improvements of Boeing-737 aircraft rudder control system.
Operations of Boeing-737 to continue until receiving formal instruction
A source in a Russian air carrier told TASS that operations of Boeing-737 aircraft will continue until receiving a formal instruction.
“Boeing-737 aircraft will be operated as usual until receipt of an official instruction,” the source said.
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.
Russian News Agency

Russian civil aviation authorities have issued a letter suspending the airworthiness certificate for all Boeing-737 aircraft in Russia, according to government-owned Russian news agency TASS.
However, according to TASS, Russian airlines are allowing 737s to continue to fly “until receipt of an official instruction.”
Boeing spokesman Doug Alder said Thursday that the company is aware of what’s happening but doesn’t know the reason for the suspension.
“We’re looking into it,” said Alder.
The report in TASS said Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency is “in correspondence with the relevant U.S. authority concerning urgent improvements of Boeing-737 aircraft rudder control system.”
TASS cited the letter saying the suspension will stay in effect until “receipt of a joint notice of the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration that Boeing-737 type aircraft operating in Russia are in condition supporting their safe operation.”
Nearly 190 Boeing 737s are currently in service in Russia, TASS said.
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