FAA Proposes New Inspections for Boeing 737 MAX Over Elevator Buss Assembly Concerns

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new airworthiness directive for Boeing 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 aircraft to address concerns over incorrectly installed bearings in the elevator buss assembly.

The proposal affects 95 aircraft registered in the United States and is based on a report that bearings may have been installed without sealant, which could lead to premature failure of the elevator buss assembly crank arms.

The FAA estimates that the initial inspection would require approximately 23 work-hours per aircraft, with an estimated labor cost of $1,955 per plane. The replacement cost for individual bearings is between $1,105 and $1,809, while a complete elevator buss assembly is estimated at $98,241 in parts.

The proposed directive is not yet mandatory, as it is a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking rather than a final airworthiness directive. Operators are required to carry out the proposed inspections if the FAA publishes a final rule.