Boeing pressures suppliers to tighten screws – 01/23/2024 – Market

Boeing issued a bulletin to its suppliers last week outlining practices to ensure bolts are properly tightened, after several airlines reported loose parts during inspections of the 737 Max 9, according to a memo seen by Reuters.

The US aircraft maker said it is “imperative” that suppliers meet quality requirements, as indicated in the January 17 memo, released weeks after an accident in which part of the fuselage of a 737 Max 9 jet broke off in full flight.

“Ensure that work instructions are error-proof and that quality is continually monitored — especially torque requirements,” the memo states.

The bulletin suggests that suppliers document torque requirements in work instructions, require mechanics to record the amount of torque applied when fastening components, and ensure tools are properly calibrated to ensure bolts are properly tightened.

Boeing declined to comment.

The incident on the Alaska Airlines flight led the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to suspend the use of 171 Max 9 planes with the same configuration as the jet involved in the incident.

The National Transportation Safety Board has not yet determined whether the four screws that secure the door plug to the fuselage were installed on the Alaska Airlines plane, but it is also too early to say whether missing or loose screws were the cause of the crash, Jennifer Homendy said. , head of the council, told reporters on Thursday (18). Spirit AeroSystems manufactures and installs the port plug.

Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in an interview with NBC News broadcast this Tuesday (23) that the airline found during inspections “some loose screws on many” Max 9.

“My demand for Boeing is: What are they going to do to improve their internal quality programs?” Minicucci said.

Suppliers must “continue to meet requirements established by Boeing,” the memo said. Boeing continues to work with the FAA to resume operation of the aircraft and is “taking immediate action to strengthen quality throughout the 737 production system.”