Boeing Urges Airlines to Inspect 737 MAX Aircraft Rudders

DALLAS – Via a Multi-Operator Message (MOM), Boeing has requested airlines operating the 737 MAX to inspect the rudders of these aircraft for a possible loose bolt.

The rudder is the part of the aircraft that helps to control the aircraft while in flight. It is a "mini wing" that creates a lifting force in a specific direction. Mounted vertically on the plane’s tail section, the rudder exerts a force to the left or right, pulling the nose in the opposite direction.

According to the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), Boeing has asked airlines operating the 737 MAX to inspect specific tie rods that control rudder movement for possible loose hardware. One of the airline operators deploying the MAX has reportedly found a bolt with a missing nut when performing routine maintenance on a mechanism in the rudder-control linkage.

The company also discovered an additional undelivered aircraft with a nut that was not properly tightened. Boeing has said that the error identified on the particular aircraft has been resolved, though it did not reveal the name of the airline concerned or the MAX model.

The FAA has said it is closely monitoring targeted inspections of Boeing’s fourth-generation 737 MAX series. It has not called for the grounding of these aircraft and will remain in contact with Boeing and airlines while inspections are being conducted.

The FAA has asked operators of the model to use its approved Safety Management Systems to identify whether any loose hardware can be detected. It has also requested to be provided with any further information that emerges as a result of these inspections.

The FAA will consider additional action based on any further discovery of loose or missing hardware. Boeing has delivered more than 1,370 aircraft in the 737 MAX series. Several operators across the world currently deploy the model in their fleets.

The issue does not affect older-model 737 Next Generation planes, Boeing said, adding that delivered 737 MAX aircraft can continue to fly safely.

Feature image: N27751 Boeing Company Boeing 737-10 MAX First Flight. Photo: Brandon Farris/Airways. Article Source: Reuters