FAA Orders Inspections of Boeing 737 MAX After Fuselage Cracks Report
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered inspections of Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft after reports of cracks in the fuselage. The regulator issued an airworthiness directive requiring operators to visually inspect the fuselage skin for cracks and make repairs as needed.
The inspection requirement affects 471 MAX planes registered in the United States and 1,429 planes worldwide. Boeing has not observed cracks in its 737 MAX fleet but extended similar inspections recommended for its predecessor, the 737 NG, to its newer models due to design similarities.
The compliance time for required inspections ranges from 3,000 to 30,000 flight cycles. For new MAX planes being built, Boeing is introducing changes to address the root cause of the issue, and it's exploring potential design changes to mitigate the problem.