Boeing to delay delivery of 50 737 planes after supplier reports fuselage issue
Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Delivery of about 50 Boeing 737 planes is set to be delayed after the aircraft manufacturer said it was alerted of an issue by one of its suppliers.
An employee at one of Boeing's suppliers last Thursday found two holes drilled in some 737 fuselages that "may not have been drilled exactly to our requirements," Stan Deal, Boeing's commercial airplanes president and CEO, said in a note Sunday.
"While this potential condition is not an immediate flight safety issue and all of our 737s can continue to operate safely, we currently believe we will have to perform rework on about 50 undelivered airplanes," Deal said.
Deal said the issue would delay the deliveries of the planes but was "the only course of action given our commitment to deliver perfect airplanes every time."
"The days we are setting aside in the 737 program will allow time for our teams to complete the inspections and, if needed, perform the necessary rework," he said.
The delay came as Deal said the 737 program will spend several days at its Renton. Wash., factory this week to concentrate on quality, and inspections of undelivered planes to try to find potential problems before reaching airline carriers.
Deal said the visit will highlight "the premium we place on quality, safety and, ultimately, stability in our factories."
The announcement is the latest action by Boeing set for after a door plug flew off an Alaska Airlines flight on Jan. 5. The flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Portland, Ore., exposing numerous safety concerns at Boeing and some of its contractors.
Earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration said it would increase its oversight of Boeing's production and manufacturing, including an audit of Boeing's 737-9 Max production lines. The FAA said some parts suppliers will be included in that overview.
Boeing held a "quality stand down" at its Renton plant in late January to address issues with its 737 Max planes. Boeing promised at the time that it would conduct similar pauses at all of its plants to delve into safety and quality issues.
