NEW YORK – United States air safety regulators are auditing Boeing’s procedures for making “minor” design changes to planes in the wake of the latest problem with its troubled 737 MAX, said regulators yesterday.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) review aims to help Boeing identify “areas where it can improve its processes”, said an agency spokesman.
“These initiatives are part of our commitment to continually evaluate and improve our oversight of all aspects of aviation safety, recognising that catching errors at the earliest possible point enhances what is already the world’s safest form of transportation.”
The audit is in addition to FAA’s ongoing investigation into the issue that led to the grounding of more than 100 MAX aircraft after Boeing earlier this month alerted 16 airlines to an electrical problem with some of the planes.
The company remains under heavy scrutiny after two fatal crashes that led to a 20-month grounding of its MAX jets.
A congressional investigation also blasted FAA for “grossly insufficient oversight” of Boeing throughout the MAX’s certification.
The agency recertified the model last November after a lengthy review that included a test flight piloted by FAA director Steve Dickson.
Boeing said it is working with regulators on the latest MAX issue, and that it appreciates “ongoing engagement with, and direction from, FAA as we continuously improve safety and quality in our processes”.
FAA on Wednesday released an airworthiness directive that requires modifications to ensure “sufficient electrical grounding” for plane equipment and “address the unsafe condition on these products”.
A Boeing spokesman said the company has been working closely on two service bulletins to address the problem.
Once FAA signs off on the bulletins, Boeing will provide them to airlines “with detailed instructions on completing the work to return their airplanes to service”.
The problem, which surfaced during the manufacturing process, has not significantly affected airlines so far given the still-lacklustre travel volume during the Covid-19 pandemic, but demand is expected to pick up significantly this summer. – AFP, April 30, 2021
