Boeing finds more problems with 737 Max, risking delivery delays
Boeing said a new problem with the fuselages of some unfinished 737 jets would force the company to rework about 50 planes, potentially delaying deliveries and raising further concerns about quality control at the manufacturer and its suppliers.
Stan Deal, the CEO of Boeing's commercial aircraft unit, said in a memo for the employees Sunday that a supplier had determined last week that “two holes may not have been drilled exactly to our requirements.” The name of the supplier was not mentioned.
The problem was “not an immediate flight safety issue and all 737s can continue to operate safely,” Mr Deal said. He added that all 737s currently in service can continue to fly.
The new problems were another setback for Boeing, which has been under pressure from regulators, investors and airline customers since Jan. 5, when a panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet exploded mid-flight, forcing an emergency landing. and the grounding of Max 9s in the United States.
Boeing's fuselage supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, confirmed to Reuters that one of his employees had discovered two incorrectly drilled holes in some hulls and alerted a manager. Spirit did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Quality concerns at Boeing and its suppliers have taken on new urgency after news reports, including a report in The New York Times, discovered that Boeing workers had opened and reinstalled the panel that blew off the Alaska Airlines plane. Last week, the company declined to provide a full-year financial forecast as planned, an indication that the company is trying to assure customers that quality control would take precedence over financial performance.
Mr. Deal said Boeing would spend several “factory days” this week at the company's factory outside Seattle to address the incorrectly drilled holes and complete other outstanding work on the undelivered 737s. On such days, teams can pause normal work and complete specific tasks without halting production.
“This is what we mean when we say we will move slowly to get it right,” Mr Deal said.