One of the affected parts is the mechanism in the front edge of the wings that modifies the characteristics of ascent and resistance during takeoffs and landings.
The Boeing company has informed US aviation authorities that more than 300 aircraft of the 737 NG and 737 MAX models have “improperly manufactured” parts, reported the Federal Aeronautical Directorate (FAA).
One of the affected parts is the mechanism at the front edge of the wings that modifies the characteristics of ascent and resistance during takeoffs and landings, along with 148 pieces from a Boeing supplier, the FAA said in a statement.
According to the FAA, in its investigation it has determined that there are 32 Boeing NG and 33 Boeing MAX affected in the United States. In total, and all over the world, “133 NG and 179 MAX” are the planes affected by these defective parts, according to the FAA. Almost every country in the world keeps this model of aircraft on the ground, after two accidents occurred in a period of five months.
In October 2018 a flight of the airline Lion Air crashed 12 minutes after takeoff in Indonesia, killing all 189 passengers and crew. On March 10, a flight from the Ethiopian Airline crashed six minutes after takeoff, leaving 157 dead.
The US aeronautics announced in mid-May that it had completed the software update and completed its corresponding tests with 207 flights and more than 360 hours in the air, in preparation for the devices to be able to operate again, and that it was facilitating the FAA additional information required.
According to the FAA’s recent note, “the affected parts may be susceptible to premature failure or cracking as a result of the improper manufacturing process.”
“Although a complete failure of the wing mechanism would not result in the loss of the aircraft, the risk remains that a defective part will cause damage to the aircraft in flight,” he added.
This Monday in Seoul, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) noted the need to maintain unified criteria in regulatory matters after the case of the 737 MAX, and the approval of resolutions covering environmental aspects.
The need to review the certification processes in order to avoid discrepancies such as those detected after the October and March accidents of that model of the US Boeing plane have been a recurring theme during the 75th IATA General Assembly, held this year in Seoul
Although finally the 737 MAX has been vetoed in the skies of most of the world, the apparent lack of consensus of the different regulators, after the two accidents that left 346 dead and not a single survivor, have questioned the said framework and It has brought to light apparent discrepancies.
Following the announcement of the FAA, Kevin McAllister, president and chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, told the media that the firm “has contacted the 737 operators advising them to inspect the wing mechanisms of certain aircraft.”
The Boeing 737 is a narrow cabin aircraft that made its first flight in January 2016, and its main users include the Southwest and American airlines, from the United States, as well as Air Canada and China Southern Airlines.
Until last March, the Chicago-based firm had manufactured 393 of those planes, each costing about 100 million dollars.
Source: ElConfidencial
