Boeing is facing another delay in the delivery of newly built 737 Max planes as maintenance workers have discovered structural defects in some of the fuselages. This setback comes as Boeing works to revive the 737 Max following the grounding of the model worldwide for almost two years due to air disasters in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019. The image above shows a Boeing 737 Max plane. (Image source: Cityswift/Flickr)
Aug. 24 (UPI) — In order to address the structural defects found in certain fuselages, Boeing has announced a postponement of deliveries for some newly built 737 Max planes. However, unaffected models are still on schedule to meet the demand from airlines. The company has assured that the planes already in use do not pose any immediate safety risks and have been instrumental in reducing operating costs for major airlines. Boeing is committed to delivering the 737 Maxes that were not affected by the problem. (Source: CNBC)
According to the Chicago-based company, there are no immediate safety risks associated with the fuel-efficient planes currently in use, which have brought about cost savings for major airlines. Boeing stated that while they conduct inspections to determine the number of affected airplanes and complete the necessary rework, this issue will impact the immediate delivery of 737s. (Source: MarketWatch)
The discovery of improperly drilled fastener holes in several aft pressure bulkheads by maintenance crews at Spirit Aerosystems, which supplies fuselages to Boeing, has caused this delay. These bulkheads are critical pressurization components that play a key role in the structural integrity of all aircraft. It is important to note that not all Max planes are affected as Boeing sources the bulkheads from multiple suppliers. They act as a barrier between the pressurized cabin area and the unpressurized tail section of passenger jets. (Source: MarketWatch)
This engineering flaw is the latest in a series of setbacks for Boeing, as production and parts issues hinder efforts to meet the growing demand for air travel. The major airlines have faced increasing pressure from the Biden administration to improve service and transit times, especially during holidays. While Airbus delivered 381 planes during the first seven months of 2023, Boeing only managed to deliver 309. In an attempt to catch up, Boeing plans to increase its production rate to 38 planes per month and aims to deliver between 400 and 450 Max jets to airlines by the end of the year. (Source: MarketWatch)
Despite this delay, Boeing remains determined to mount a comeback for the 737 Max. The model was grounded worldwide for nearly two years following the air disasters in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Meanwhile, Spirit Aerosystems has confirmed that it will continue delivering the fuselages to Boeing, stating that they are working closely with their customer to address any impacted units within the production system and perform necessary rework. At this stage, the manufacturer does not anticipate a significant impact on their delivery schedule for the year. (Source: UPI)
