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American aircraft manufacturer Boeing is facing a series of quality setbacks affecting its 737 MAX aircraft. The latest incident involved the separation of a door on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft belonging to the American company Alaska Airlines, which led to the grounding of 171 aircraft and increased doubts about the reliability of Boeing’s manufacturing processes.
The US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating this disturbing event, focusing on Boeing’s manufacturing process and the components surrounding the door opener. This cast a tense shadow in Boeing’s relationship with one of its main suppliers, Spirit Aero Systems, to audit its operations after recent quality problems.
Richard Hilling, a former member of the Transportation Safety Committee, raised concerns about possible poor workmanship associated with door lock mechanisms and technology, stressing the need for a comprehensive investigation.
For its part, Boeing confirmed its full cooperation with regulators and customers by requesting an immediate inspection of the “737-9” aircraft similar in design to the affected aircraft, while analysts expect possible disruptions in Boeing’s manufacturing plans for 2024.
Bloomberg quotes analysts who expect a possible slowdown in the pace of manufacturing, which will affect delivery targets for the year.
The bump comes at a critical time for Boeing, as investors expect an increase in cash supply and a return to pre-2019 manufacturing rates. The company faces pressure to maintain quality standards and deliver defect-free planes to maintain customer confidence.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun is facing a series of quality lapses that are affecting investors’ confidence in his competence, and what happened calls for a more focused turn in Boeing’s management strategies, as Calhoun previously stated that he aims to stabilize the company after the turbulent consequences of two fatal plane crashes. 737 MAX nearly 5 years ago, noting in a previous statement that it was an “important transitional year” for the company.
Beijing subsequently halted deliveries of 737 MAX aircraft to Chinese companies.
Recently, Boeing was forced to delay deliveries due to problems with the airframe, especially in its rear section.
At the end of last December, Boeing delivered more than 1,370 copies of the 737 MAX aircraft, and received orders for 4,000 copies.
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The window of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX plane shattered while it was on a flight in Oregon. Alaska Airlines said in a statement that the plane made a safe emergency landing without any casualties 35 minutes after take-off.
The company indicated that it will examine its fleet of 65 aircraft of the same type, and that it will take a few days. On Saturday, the company stopped all its fleet of this model.
The specialized website “Flight Aware” indicated that the plane, which was carrying 171 passengers and 6 crew members, was at an altitude of 5,000 metres.
About 218 copies of this model have been delivered so far, according to data obtained by Agence France-Presse from Boeing.
The plane was certified last October, according to Federal Aviation Administration records available online.
