A person with an umbrella walks by a Boeing 737 Max fuselage parked outside the company’s production facility in Renton, Washington, January 10, 2020.
Lindsey Wasson | Reuters
Boeing has announced a new manufacturing flaw on its 737 Max aircraft, which will cause delays in deliveries. This setback comes as Boeing strives to increase their production.
The company identified improper drilling of fastener holes on the aft pressure bulkhead of some 737 planes. Spirit AeroSystems, the manufacturer of the fuselages, stated that only some units are affected due to their use of multiple suppliers for the aft pressure bulkhead.
Boeing explained that they will have to conduct inspections to determine the number of affected airplanes and perform the required rework. In the meantime, they will continue delivering 737 Max planes that are not impacted by this issue.
This manufacturing flaw is the latest in a series of defects disclosed by Boeing on the Max and other programs as they strive to meet the high demand from airlines experiencing a travel boom. Last month, Boeing announced their transition to a production rate of 38 planes per month from 31.
Boeing did not mention whether this new issue would change their forecast of delivering between 400 and 450 Max jets this year.
Spirit AeroSystems confirmed that they will continue supplying fuselages to Boeing and stated that they are working closely with their customer to address any impacted units and necessary rework. They do not anticipate a significant impact on their delivery range for the year.
From January to July of this year, Boeing delivered 309 planes, while rival Airbus delivered 381 planes in the same period.
The company emphasized that this issue does not pose a threat to flight safety, and airlines can continue operating the planes. Boeing has also notified the Federal Aviation Administration.
In afternoon trading on Thursday, Boeing shares declined by over 3% and Spirit AeroSystems shares were down about 13%.
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