Boeing's MAX 7 Certified, Then Grounded: FAA Orders Inspections Amid New Safety Concerns

The Boeing 737 MAX 7 finally received certification from the FAA on August 3 after nearly nine years of review. The aircraft's approval came with significant changes, including revised flight-control software and an upgraded flight crew alerting system.

However, just two days later, the FAA issued a directive ordering inspections for 1,429 MAX jets worldwide due to cracking in the bear strap, a metal reinforcement at the forward upper corner of the forward galley door cutout. The cracking was found on older 737 NGs, but the FAA extended the order to the MAX due to similarities in design and build process.

Boeing's engineers discovered surface scratches on the bear strap that were inadvertently created during manufacturing bonding. This production-quality failure is a different category of problem from metal fatigue, which is caused by strain and physics over time.

The 737 MAX 8 and 9 had a compromised software (MCAS) system that resulted in two fatal crashes. To-date, no crack has been found on any 737 MAX in service, but the FAA acted to prevent potential problems in the future.