Boeing Ordered to
Replace 737 Wing Parts Prone to Cracking
Airlines worldwide must inspect 312 of
Boeing Co.'s 737 family of aircraft, including some of the grounded 737 Max,
because they have wing components that are prone to cracking and must be
repaired within 10 days, U.S. aviation regulators said Sunday.
Boeing informed the Federal Aviation
Administration that so-called leading edge slat tracks may not have been
properly manufactured and pose a safety risk, the agency said in an emailed
statement. The parts allow the wing to expand to create more lift during
takeoff and landing.
While less critical than the global
grounding of its 737 Max since March, Boeing's latest production issue adds
another headache for a management team trying control the fallout from two
deadly crashes and get the U.S. manufacturer's top-selling plane flying
again. The head of the International Air Transport Association warned airline
CEOs at the industry's annual gathering this past weekend that the
plane-approval process is damaged and the industry is under scrutiny.
The FAA plans to issue an order calling
for operators of 737 planes worldwide to identify whether the deficient parts
were installed and to replace them, if needed. A complete failure wouldn't
lead to a loss of the aircraft, the FAA said, but could cause damage during
flight.
Boeing has notified operators of the
planes about the needed repairs and is sending replacement parts to help
minimize the time aircraft are out of service, the company said in a
statement. The slat tracks in question were made by a supplier to Spirit
AeroSystems Holdings Inc., Boeing said in an email.
Boeing has identified 148 parts made by a
subcontractor that are affected. The parts may be on a total of 179 737 Max
aircraft and 133 737 NG planes worldwide, including 33 Max and 32 NG aircraft
in the U.S., the FAA said.
The NG, or Next Generation, 737s are a
predecessor to the Max family.
The deficient parts may be on fewer of
the identified planes, Boeing said. While the full number of jets must be
inspected, 20 Max and 21 NG aircraft are "most likely" to have the
suspect parts installed, according to the company.
The 737 Max has been grounded worldwide
since March 13 after two fatal crashes tied to a malfunction that caused a
flight control system to repeatedly drive down the plane's nose. Boeing is
finalizing a software fix along with proposed new training that will be
required before the planes fly again.
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mandag 3. juni 2019
B737 har "leading edge slat tracks" som kan sprekke - Curt Lewis
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