Boeing on Sunday said some of its 737 planes, including many 737 Max aircraft, may have faulty parts on their wings. It's the latest problem Boeing faces as it tries to get its most important and popular airplane, the grounded 737 Max, back in the air. Working with the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing said it has reached out to airlines that fly 737 planes, advising them to inspect their slat track assemblies on Max and NG aircraft. The 737 NG series includes the 737-600, -700, -800… (www.cnn.com) 更多...
There was a 73X slat track issue in 2007. China Airlines Flight 120, a 738 at ROAH in Okinawa, during slat retraction after landing, something from the slat track penetrated a fuel tank and the fuel ignited. The crew ordered an immediate evacuation so there were no deaths but the hull was a total loss.
It was a bolt that wasn’t secured properly during maintenance and got forced into the fuel tank. Fuel started spilling and once the plane stopped, it came into contact with the hot engine and ignited.
If someone had tried to convince me that neglecting to use one washer could destroy an entire plane, I'd probably have laughed them out of the place. Until now.
Hi Torsten Thanks for the clarification. I've now looked at the report in more detail. It appears that the 2007 problem was related to the omission of a washer. It seems that the Boeing maintenance procedure permitted or recommended omitting the washer. I don't have time for further research on this but your clarification correctly points out it was not related to the slat track issue under discussion in this thread.
The maintenance procedure neither permitted nor recommended omitting the washer, it was done by mistake because the area where the work was being done is hard to reach and see, and the maintenance technician was working by feel alone. The washer slipped off before the nut was attached, and because the bolt head was smaller than the hole in the downstop assembly, it eventually walked out.
Frank, let me save you some time. The nut is smaller than the hole in the downstop assembly, so the washer is the only thing preventing the bolt from falling out. The idea of omitting the washer on purpose is absurd.
Thanks for the explanations everyone. Torsten's and JMartinson's explanations with the "hard to reach" aspect are interesting. I wonder if some special tool is needed. If I was engineering this I would have a captive washer, possibly with locking ridges, on the nut. It can be difficult to retain a washer on bolt while simultaneously trying to get a nut started on the thread, more so in a confined space.
Hard to understand that a bolt securing a slat tract would be designed to be smaller than the hole and a washer used to block part of the hole. ??? Boeing should be made to explain that one.
Once the Max gets back in the air it will be perfectly safe, however, I will not fly it as I’m so pissed at Boeing’s CEO and upper management. They should have resigned in shame!
I am with you on this one -- all the way!! And as I have said previously, I am not too crazy about the FAA either. Perhaps they are all in bed together??!! Probably so!
Ya, and the FAA says that the slat issue won’t bring down a plane...let me guess, they rely on what BOEING management told them! I too am disgusted with the management and heads should roll. I trust that they are looking into any possible evidence of criminal negligence. It sure smell like it.
"The company discovered the problem Friday, when Boeing was meeting with the parts supplier. Boeing employees noticed some of the parts were not heat treated, which led them to believe there might be a safety issue."
Was it negligence or a genuine mistake? Not sure outing a company and possibly ruining jobs undeservedly is a good idea at this point if the problem is being rectified. The manufacturer maybe the ones who alerted Boeing to the problem. Not trying to take sides but until media give a FULL view of the situation, it's just more sensationalism to bring in viewers.
Boeing announced this. The media are not outing them. They outed themselves. Should the media suppress the information (not report it) to save jobs of Boeing workers? What about those of us concerned about the safety of the planes we fly? Should we not be informed? As a flyer, whether this was negligence or a genuine mistake is makes no difference. I don't think its sensationalism to report on an announcement from Boeing that they found another oversight in the manufacture of a plane that has been involved in two catastrophic crashes.
If it hadn't been for the two downed planes over MCAS, this slats story wouldn't have made the news. The media is riding in on past trouble for ratings. And I meant the jobs of the company supplying the slats who might be in a company too small to ride out this flack.
Knowingly skipping the heat treating is at least endangerment since the only reason the part is made of the selected metal for the job is the heat treating to make the part durable enough. If the FAA is paying attention and seeing planes under their directives having parts signed off as in specs as specified by manufacturing.......besides pilots needing drugs testing evidently the manufacturing sector also needs drugs testing.
None of this is really news or particularly surprising. Problems with substandard and counterfeit parts have always plagued Boeing and Airbus alike, and with the complex web of international component suppliers there are too many links in chain of possession to eliminate the problem entirely. Hearing about these particular suspect slat track parts is some cause for concern, but the public would not be in on it if it were not for the heightened scrutiny focused on Boeing due to the MAX debacle.
In todays blast from Flight Aware , i have read 3 articles on the 737-Max . I have decided to share my comments here . I feel that Boeing has taken advantage of the FAA regulators . Boeing has advanced their prestige about honesty and transparency in the Certification process to a point that took great advantage of other parties , involved in certification processes . I think that now there must be a period of Correction , where Boeing is put back in its' place and the FAA regulators regain control of the Certification Process . My personal opinion is that Boeing has been tired of the old tiresome prolonged processes of FAA certification methods , and decided to speed up the process , while telling every one not to be concerned , Because we are Boeing ? This is an ever evolving story , so more revelations will be coming .....
A lot of posts here express concern that Boeing's upper management is still in place. I imagine Boeing's Board has been meeting late into a few nights, figuring out how to handle the issue.
Since more Max's are flown by US Carriers, why haven't the been crashes and/or reports of the problem by US Carriers ??
I have been an A&P Aircraft mechanic for 53 years and Boeing makes the best, longest lasting aircraft I have worked on !! Yes, I like the former Douglas/McDonald aircraft as well as Lockheed, especially the L-1011, a Mechanic's designed aircraft !!
I think now is as good a time as any,while investigating,redoing,reprogramming and fixing current issues found in the 737max, to find and correct other issues which also might have been overlooked in the manufacturing of these airplanes...
even as an unsubstantiated maybe, boeing with its reputation in shambles, may have to have company inspectors in the supply lines to perform random checks, thus removing another objection from the flying public-you may have heard of them- the ones boeing seems not to care very much about, prefering making easier profits over safe profits.
I imagine some of what you point out, Patrick, its true. However, I have difficulty believing that a company that has enjoyed a fine reputation up until the fairly recent past, wouldn't recognize a stance such as this costing them revenue and ultimately bankruptcy.
A great many of the problems this company is experiencing started several years ago when McDonnell/Douglas murged with Boeing. Many of the upper level managers from M/D moved into similar positions at Boeing. These are the same bean counters who ran M/D into the ground. Prior to the murger management largely came from ranks of engineering and designs were driven by sound engineering practices. Since the murger there have been many problems like government contract fixing, poor workmanship, disputes with labor, moral issues, opening production plants and populating them with workers who don't know a rivit from a screw, a reduction of inspectors and inspection supervisors looking the other way, and worst of all, bean counting managers telling engineers how to build airplanes.
I used to work in the Boeing engineering technology labratories in Seattle and I was proud of the company I worked for. It hurts me to see how things have changed.
Have worked in the manufacture and assembly of these aircraft, sometimes things got pushed through because of "scheduling, meeting targets". Another expression I heard was, you can't see it at 30,000 feet. I also agree with the above statement by Douglas.
I was one of the customer launch team members on the 777. The 777 division President then was Alan Mullally who knew and believed in the employees and customers working on the design build team. Any of us would, and did, work our best efforts because of the culture Alan created and he supported our efforts by listening and removing obstacles. How he knew darn near everyone by name was beyond me but he could walk into the production floor and talk with anyone by first name. I was lucky enough to ride on the FAA certification flight. Boeing has great, committed employees that will sustain and see the company back to its preeminent industry role. Each of us knew our ATA areas but we also interfaced with other stakeholders as we were suppliers and customers to each other; that was the 777 philosophy. It appears the 737 MAX was built with groups in silos who only knew their direct area of responsibility as evidenced by the dependency on one AOA sensor and not fully realizing the software / firmware changes and cascade downstream impacts. I believe in Boeing and am still a stockholder. The Board of Directors now has ex UN Ambassador Nikki Haley onboard; She calls things straight out. Boeing will correct this error, survive and be even stronger than before. There may be some leadership changes but the true strength of Boeing rests with its employees.
I think your only view is Boeing can do no harm , and you stand with the " Fake news " battle cry . These 737 -Max are unravelling like an onion . I come from a family who works for a Major Airline and they operate the 737 Max . Inside this situation the Airline brass are non to happy with Boeing ,and are sceptical of the " Fixes " . The trust has been badly broken and their is considerable concern if they can get Flight Crews , cabin attendants and Revenue passengers to return to this aircraft . Just think of it , every time it hits turbulence , there will be much puckering and gasping .......Is this IT for me ? My last Flt ? ....
...and if you know those people, you also know that while the issue is with the MCAS System, the plane itself is stable and a pleasant airplane to fly. MCAS is only there to make the 737 MAX fly like other 737's. Take out MCAS you have a fantastic airplane, but would require sim training - something Boeing has been trying to avoid (and still is)
This is not a Max problem. They had a total hull loss because of a track problem on a 738 at ROAH back in 2007 when the damaged track puncture a fuel tank and the spillage ignited.
It’s not MAX-specific, but affects multiple 737 families.
Regulators need to look into this and take action. I’m sure the specifications call for heat treatment, and regardless of whether it was an oversight on a few parts or widespread non-compliance, someone had to have inspected the parts and signed off on them. That person and the manufacturer need to be held accountable.
As far as Boeing is concerned, if the part is painted or receives standard anti-corrosion protection the lack of heat treatment might not have been easily detectable.
Still here and the pilots were at fault but hey anyone can be a pilot of an airliner with low hours but does not always turn out well as shown in the second crash. Overwhelmed by warnings going off. YOU KNOW like the overspeed one and leaving the throttles full forward. Wow that really shows how well they were TRAINED and with one only having less than 500 TOTAL hours TROLL how well did that work out??????????????????????
Another media beat up over a problem that occurs in any industry, that is already in hand and being rectified, just to gain viewers and use the fatalities from unrelated incidents as a supposed credible link to this. (*sigh*, when will news media give a full account and balanced story)
lynx318 ......I appreciate your opinions and views . I enjoy such exchange of views . It is not my desire to be always correct . I am not perfect . The Media has really gotten their teeth into this , and won't let go , to be sure . But for myself , i like to take in all views and opinions , and reflect on them . But in the end i decide what i feel and think . What i am saying is i do not blindly follow anybodies Blog . I accept that there are many concerns and variables that must be at least acknowledged , but not necessarily accepted by myself . But i am a cautious and measured man and see a # of problems that not just Boeing and the Regulators are going to have to deal with , but also big problems for Air Carriers to re-invent the safety of their Fleets . I hope you understand ,and thanks for your replies .......Best wishes .....DGR
Boeing accused Mobile AL. of not being able to build tricycles, yet they failed miserably to build Refuilng tankers in a timely manner. THey need to wake up and see the government is not going to cover up its' screw-ups any more.
Hi 318 .....I don't have CNN , so my sources of media news are CBC , CTV , NBC , ABC and CBS . Also i have access to a # of other Blog sources . I do not like when the Media out let offers their personal views . I prefer when they only submit the facts . That allows me to consider my own positions . We are both intellegent people , and can make our own conclussions ....don't you think ? Talk to you again Lynx318 .......DGR
OH and by the way HOFF its nothing new in the aircraft industry as AD notes come out quite often on ALL aircraft big and small you and the fake new just have a hissy over it because its Boeing not a big deal just needs to be fixe like all others HO HUM troll.
Seriously? I actually think it hilarious how you are getting at "trolls" (which aren't), and you have a tremendous reputation for being the biggest troll on here.