Boeing, the prominent U.S. aircraft manufacturer, announced on Sunday that it has encountered new issues with the fuselage of its flagship 737 model. Although these problems don’t pose an immediate threat during flights, they will necessitate “rework” on numerous planes.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal conveyed in a statement to employees, later released to the media, that a supplier had recently informed them about a non-conformance in some 737 fuselages. According to Deal, an employee at the supplier alerted their manager to a potential deviation in drilling two holes from Boeing’s specifications.
Deal emphasized that, while this condition does not present an immediate safety concern for in-flight operations, approximately 50 undelivered airplanes may require rework. This issue could potentially lead to delays in the delivery of some near-term 737s.
Over the past year, Boeing has faced challenges with its flagship aircraft, the 737 MAX, culminating in a significant in-flight safety incident on an Alaska Airlines flight in early January. This incident prompted a thorough investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In his communication, Deal mentioned that Boeing has been actively seeking input from employees and has received suggestions for over 1,000 improvements since the January 5 incident. Some of these suggestions have already been incorporated, including the implementation of a process to expedite the acquisition of new tools and enhance accessibility to specific parts of the aircraft. Boeing continues to navigate challenges as it addresses concerns and works towards maintaining the safety and reliability of its aircraft.
