Photographer: Simon Dawson / Bloomberg
Photographer: Simon Dawson / Bloomberg
Boeing Co. has found possible electrical defects in two additional areas of the 737 Max’s cockpit, a week after a similar manufacturing defect caused a temporary flight shutdown for recently delivered airliners.
The planner has been inspecting the flight deck of the Max to find other electrical faults near the defect was unveiled last week with the aircraft’s power control unit on hold and is working out plans for repairs. Maintenance is not expected to take time or be complicated, as it only requires basic hardware, such as nuts and bolts, according to Boeing, reported by a Max customer.
Still, the discovery of new problems adds to the embarrassment of Boeing, which is trying to get a smooth return from Max after a 20-month landing forced by two fatal crashes. The electrical problem potentially affects about 450 Max aircraft manufactured since early 2019, including about 90 aircraft operated by airlines with the rest.
One of the people who asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential must last a few days for each aircraft once Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration have an action plan.
Boeing said it “is working with customers on service bulletins that will be submitted to the FAA for approval. The bulletins focus on ensuring sufficient ground trajectory on the flight deck of the affected aircraft.”
Shares fell 1.2% to $ 248.18 at the close of New York.
The FAA has not yet demanded any repairs while Boeing continues to assess the situation. “The FAA will thoroughly review any proposed solution that Boeing presents to us,” the agency said in an emailed statement.
Aviation Week previously reported that the defects originated in a manufacturing change made in early 2019 involving fixings and a coating. In some cases, the coating can cover the wiring, preventing a unit that controls the backup power of the aircraft from working properly.
The manufacturing change that caused the original problem was considered so minor that it did not need FAA approval or a review by replaced Boeing employees as agency representatives, the regulator said.
– With the assistance of Alan Levin