By the Leeham News Team
Jan. 12, 2024, © Leeham News: The Federal Aviation Administration today announced it is boosting its oversight of Boeing production and manufacturing on the 737-9 MAX.
The FAA’s been overseeing Boeing deliveries of the MAX since recertifying the airplane in November 2020. Following the discovery of production issues of the 787 in October 2020 that resulted in Boeing suspending delivery for more than a year, the FAA also assumed certification by an FAA official.
With today’s announcement, the FAA said it will add “new and significant actions to immediately increase oversight” to audit the MAX 9 production line and its suppliers to “evaluate Boeng’s compliance with its approved quality procedures.
The FAA also will increase monitoring of MAX 9 in-service events and assess the safety risks of delegated authority. The full announcement is below.
Boeing finds discrepancies in undelivered aircraft
Boeing employees have found discrepancies in four of six undelivered MAX 9s that are on the flight line, LNA has learned. The nature of these discrepancies has not been detailed. The customers were not identified to LNA.
LNA yesterday revealed that according to data from Cirium, there were six scheduled for delivery this month—three to Alaska and one each to Copa, Greater Bay Airlines (Hong Kong), and Corendon Dutch Airlines. Two are scheduled for delivery to Greater Bay and Alaska in February.
Global MAX users
Visual Approch, a consultancy, created a chart that succinctly shows the global operators of the MAX 9 and their routes. COPA, Turkish, Aeromexico and Lion Air grounded MAX 9s pending inspection and if necessary repair.
FAA’s notification to Boeing
FAA Increasing Oversight of Boeing Production and Manufacturing
Friday, January 12, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After taking decisive and immediate action to ground approximately 171 Boeing 737-9 MAX planes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced new and significant actions to immediately increase its oversight of Boeing production and manufacturing. These actions come one day after the FAA formally notified Boeing that the FAA has launched an investigation into the company as a result of last Friday’s incident on a Boeing Model 737-9 MAX in which the aircraft lost a passenger door plug while in flight.
The actions announced today include the FAA conducting:
- An audit involving the Boeing 737-9 MAX production line and its suppliers to evaluate Boeing’s compliance with its approved quality procedures. The results of the FAA’s audit analysis will determine whether additional audits are necessary.
- Increased monitoring of Boeing 737-9 MAX in-service events.
- Assessment of safety risks around delegated authority and quality oversight, and examination of options to move these functions under independent, third-party entities.
“It is time to re-examine the delegation of authority and assess any associated safety risks,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said. “The grounding of the 737-9 and the multiple production-related issues identified in recent years require us to look at every option to reduce risk. The FAA is exploring the use of an independent third party to oversee Boeing’s inspections and its quality system.”
Yesterday, the FAA announced an investigation to determine if Boeing failed to ensure completed products conformed to its approved design and were in a condition for safe operation in compliance with FAA regulations. The letter to Boeing is available here.
The safety of the flying public, not speed, will determine the timeline for returning the Boeing 737-9 MAX to service.
See the FAA’s statements on the grounding of certain Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft here.
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