Washington, DC – The Boeign company has informed US aviation authorities that more than 300 aircraft of the 737 NG and 737 MAX have “improperly manufactured” parts, the Federal Aeronautics Authority (FAA) reported.
One of the affected parts is the mechanism at the leading edge of the wings that modifies the characteristics of ascent and resistance during takeoffs and landings, along with 148 parts from a Boeing supplier, the FAA said in a statement.
According to the FAA, in its investigation it has determined that there are 32 Boeign 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 all countries in the world keep this model of aircraft on the ground, after two accidents occurred in about five months.
In October 2918 a flight of the airline Lion Air crashed 12 minutes after the takeoff in Indonesia causing the death of 189 passengers and crew. In March an Ethiopian Airline flight crashed six minutes after takeoff leaving 157 people dead.
Boeing announced in mid-May that it had completed the software update and finalized 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 providing the FAA with information additional required
According to the FAA’s recent note, “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 failed part will cause damage to the plane 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 with the approval of resolutions covering environmental aspects.
The need to review the certification processes in order to avoid discrepancies such as the views after the October and March accidents of that model of the aircraft of the American Boeing have been a recurring theme during the 75th General Assembly of IATA, 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 mentioned frame and removed to the light apparent discrepancies.
Following the announcement of the FAA, Kevin McAllister, president and chief executive of Boeing Commecial 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 Airlines and American Airlines, 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. (EFEUSA)
