From Fortune:

Boeing is asking airlines to inspect its 737 Max jets for a potential loose bolt in the rudder control system, the airplane maker and Federal Aviation Administration confirmed this week. The FAA said it would be closely monitoring the targeted inspections. (45)

Boeing issued its inspection guidance to airlines after an international operator found a bolt with a missing nut during routine maintenance. In a separate case, Boeing also discovered an undelivered aircraft that had a nut that was not properly tightened. Out of an abundance of caution, they recommended operators to inspect their 737 MAX airplanes and inform them of any findings. (45)

According to Boeing, there have been no in-flight incidents caused by the condition to date. The company has stated that all airplanes they are set to deliver onward will have the inspection prior to delivery. U.S. carriers with 737 Max jets in their fleet include United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. All four said they don’t expect operational impacts. (45)

A firm timeline for the inspections wasn’t provided for each airline, but Alaska said it expected to complete the process by the first half of January. Boeing’s 737 Max jets were grounded worldwide for 20 months after two crashes in 2018 and 2019 killed a total of 346 people. Investigations focused on an automated flight-control system that pushed the nose of the plane down based on faulty sensor readings. (45)

The FAA has since moved to provide a more-detailed certification process for large planes and required safety disclosures. Boeing stated it will continue to update both customers and federal regulators on the progress. (25)



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