Dozens of United Airlines Holdings Inc. jets, such as the one that lost an engine cap over Colorado in February, are not expected to fly until early next year, as federal regulators weigh in on additional safeguards, they said. inform people about it.
United hoped to resume wide-body aircraft this summer. Returning the aircraft to service has taken longer than expected, as federal regulators consider possible new requirements for certain Boeing Co. aircraft. United has 52 such aircraft in its fleet.
U.S. aviation safety regulators are considering an additional type of engine blade inspection and a proposed Boeing modification designed to prevent engine covers from breaking in the event that an engine fan blade breaks during operation. wants, said these people.
The Federal Aviation Administration has not yet determined what additional guarantees it may require before the aircraft returns to service. An agency spokeswoman declined to comment on any proposal, saying the agency’s work continued. The FAA could make a decision in the coming weeks, according to people familiar with the agency’s deliberations.
The United 777 incident in February occurred shortly after the Denver takeoff. Investigators determined that a fan blade on one of the plane’s two engines was fractured, causing the engine cover to start in mid-air and rain down parts of the ground.