((Automated translation by Reuters, please see disclaimer https://bit.ly/rtrsauto))
(Added details and context from paragraph 6) by Tim Hepher and Valerie Insinna
Boeing Co BA.N said on Sunday it would have to carry out additional work on around 50 undelivered 737 MAX planes, which could delay some deliveries in the short term, after its supplier Spirit AeroSystems SPR.N discovered two poorly drilled holes on some fuselages.
Boeing confirmed the findings in response to a question from Reuters, after industry sources said an “edge margin,” or spacing issue, had been discovered in holes drilled on a window frame on some jets.
Boeing, which has come under fire from regulators and airlines since a door jam on a 737 MAX 9 burst on Jan. 5, said safety was not affected and that the existing 737s could continue to fly.
“Last Thursday, a supplier informed us of a non-compliance of certain 737 fuselages. I would like to thank an employee of the supplier who reported to his superior that two holes had perhaps not been drilled exactly according to our requirements,” Stan Deal, chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in a letter to staff, referring to Spirit, which is the sole supplier of 737 fuselages.
“While this potential situation does not constitute an immediate flight safety concern and all 737s can continue to operate safely, we currently believe we will need to carry out work on approximately 50 undelivered aircraft,” Mr. Deal in this letter, first reported by Reuters.
Joe Buccino, a Spirit spokesman, told Reuters that as part of its 360-degree quality management program, a member of its team identified an issue that did not meet engineering standards.
“We are in close communication with Boeing on this,” he said.
Mr. Deal said Boeing plans to spend several “factory days” this week at the 737 plant in Renton, near Seattle, to work on the misaligned holes and complete other ongoing work. These days allow teams to interrupt work without closing the entire line.
It’s the latest effort by Boeing to tighten operations after the explosion of an Alaska Airlines plane
ALK.N highlighted quality controls.
Investigators, who looked into whether the Alaska Airlines plane’s door plug bolts were missing or improperly adjusted, are expected to release an interim report this week.
At the same time, Boeing has asked a major supplier, which it did not identify, to halt all deliveries until all work is completed, Mr. Deal said.
“This delay in deliveries will affect our production schedule, but it will improve the quality and stability of the whole
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had no immediate comment.
QUALITY DEFECT
The U.S. regulator has ordered Boeing to limit 737 production to the current rate of 38 planes per month for an indefinite period while it addresses quality defects, postponing the production increase needed to meet the growing demand for new aircraft.
So far, Boeing has said it will continue to buy parts from its suppliers at higher rates than expected to mitigate the impact of frozen production growth.
The 737 MAX checks are focusing on the potentially neglected positioning of two holes on a Spirit-supplied window frame assembly, a condition known as “short edge margin,” the industry sources said.
Edge margins, i.e. the space between a fastener and the edge of a sheet, must meet strict specifications intended to minimize the risk of long-term metal fatigue.
In the past, the FAA has sometimes ordered inspections for cracks resulting from improperly drilled fastener holes.
As of Friday, the “non-compliance” or quality defect had been found in 22 fuselages out of the 47 inspected so far, split between Boeing and Spirit, and could exist in some 737s in service, according to the sources.
The findings were made as part of a routine notification known as a “Notice of Escapement,” in which suppliers notify Boeing of any known or suspected quality defects, the sources said.
Such quality reporting is common in aerospace, but the discovery comes as Boeing and its best-selling jet plane come under scrutiny in the wake of the Alaska Airlines crash.
Last month, the American manufacturer asked its suppliers to step up controls and told them it was “imperative” that they meet quality requirements, according to a memo seen on Reuters.
People familiar with the matter said Boeing and Spirit have not yet reached an agreement on how many poorly drilled holes need to be corrected and how many errors are so slight that the fuselages can be used “as is.” “.
Spirit, which split from Boeing in 2005, is expected to report results on Tuesday.
Boeing 737s are assembled in Renton, near Seattle, from fuselages shipped by train from Sprit’s site in Wichita, Kansas.