#Boeing #discovers #fuselage #problems #MAX
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A 737 Max aircraft at Boeing’s factory in Renton, Washington. 2019
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Boeing has recalled 50 undelivered 737 MAX planes for repairs after a supplier employee reported improperly drilled holes in some fuselages. They were supplied to Boeing by Spirit AeroSystems, the aerostructures company involved in the problems with the quality of components on the 737 models.
Boeing said the problem could delay some deliveries in the near future, and said 737s in service could continue to fly. At the moment, work is being done on completing the instructions for processing, after which it will be possible to determine the terms necessary for its implementation.
The Wall Street Journal quoted a Spirit AeroSystems spokesman as saying the company is aware of the problem and is in constant communication with Boeing, recalling that Spirit improperly drilled holes in the rear pressure bulkhead of some MAX jets last year led to production delays.
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“This is the only course of action given our commitment to deliver perfect airplanes every time,” Boeing Chief Commercial Officer Stan Deal said in a statement to staff.
The employee reported two holes to his manager that may not have been drilled exactly to the aircraft manufacturer’s specifications. The company will check and, if necessary, fix any problems, Diehl stressed.
Boeing is facing additional regulatory scrutiny after the Alaska Airlines decompression panel incident last month. That incident, which also involved Spirit’s fuselage, was preceded by a series of supplier-related issues, none of which resulted in in-flight incidents, the WSJ noted.
As for the Jan. 5 incident, the jet maker and industry officials believe Boeing employees neglected to replace the bolts needed to secure the panel during production. These panels are used to seal the openings in the fuselage left for additional emergency exits on the Max 9 intended for use on flights with a larger than normal number of passengers that require more exits for safety reasons.
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Boeing announced last week that it will not set financial targets for the year as it focuses on improving quality. That has alarmed investors and airline customers already experiencing a shortage of planes, as increased scrutiny and Boeing’s efforts to improve its processes could slow supplies, the WSJ said.
Alaska Airlines and United resumed operations of grounded Boeing Max 9 planes in the last days of January. Alaska said in a statement that it had completed the final inspection of its planes, and the first flight of the Max 9 was from Seattle to San Diego on January 26. Two days earlier, the Federal Aviation Administration approved the inspection and maintenance process to return the planes to flying. United’s first Boeing MAX 9 passenger flight departed Newark, New Jersey, for Las Vegas on Saturday (January 27) morning with 175 passengers and six crew members on board.
