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| REX SAAB 340 VH-EKX (CN 257) File Photo |
Engineers are calling for the entire Regional Express (REX) airline fleet to be grounded over safety concerns. It follows the release of a 17-page report by maintenance crew and engineers employed by the airline. In the report, employees allege they were routinely intimidated into not reporting safety defects. In one case a staff member claims to have reported corrosion on a propeller, only to be victimised by his employer as a result. That same fault was allegedly found to be a major factor in an incident over Sydney in 2017. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is currently investigating the report. REX is Australia's largest independent airline, running 1500 flights to 60 destinations each week. The airline responded late today, slamming the claims as "wild accusations" and backing its safety record.
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| REX SAAB 340 VH-REX (CN 384) File Photo |
On the 17 March 2017, the right propeller sheared off a Regional Express Saab 340B, Registration -VH-NRX,(CN 291) while operating flight ZL768 from Albury to Sydney. The pilot made a pan-pan-pan call but was able to land the plane without incident. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau after investigating found a fatigue crack in the engine’s propeller mounting flange.
Regional Express (also known as Rex) is an Australian airline based in Mascot, New South Wales.
It operates scheduled regional services. It is Australia's largest regional airline outside the Qantas group of companies and serves New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, Darwin and Western Australia. Its entire fleet consists of 57 Swedish built Saab 340 turboprop aircraft seating 33, 34 or 36 passengers.
