Precautionary measure: US regulators have over 470 Boeing aircraft checked for cracks
In some older Boeing 737NG aircraft, cracks were found next to the front door in recent years. Now, for safety reasons, over 470 newer Max models are also to be inspected.
The US aviation authority, the FAA, is mandating a thorough inspection of nearly 470 Boeing 737 Max aircraft for cracks around the doors. According to a Boeing spokesperson cited by the Wall Street Journal, this issue was previously seen in the 737 Next Generation model, but it had not been observed in the Max fleet. The reason for expanding the inspection to the Max planes is that their design and manufacturing processes share similarities with the previous model.
The European aviation safety agency, EASA, has incorporated this measure into their regulatory framework following a technical review, as confirmed by an agency spokesperson in Cologne. However, the FAA maintains that these aircraft should have been inspected already based on their directive. The mandatory inspection targets the Max models 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200, focusing on a specific corner on the front door for any cracks.
This requirement will come into effect on September 10th. The FAA warns that such cracks could compromise the structural integrity of the aircraft. Boeing has faced several quality issues in recent years, but it has recently made considerable strides in addressing them.
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