The medium-haul jet is Boeing’s most sought-after model series – two aircraft have crashed in the past due to technical defects.
(Photo: Reuters)
Chicago, Washington The problems of the US aircraft manufacturer Boeing with its hopeful 737 Max do not stop. This time it’s about a part that was incorrectly installed by a supplier and that connects the rear area of the aircraft fuselage to the vertical stabilizer.
A “considerable number” of already produced but not yet delivered or unfinished machines are affected, Boeing said on Friday night (CEST). The problem could mean that fewer Boeing 737 Max can be delivered in the near future.
The aircraft manufacturer actually wanted to significantly increase 737 Max production from June after the model had to remain on the ground for months after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. Hundreds of aircraft could only be delivered with delays.
Boeing shares fell 4.2 percent to 184.26 euros in Frankfurt on Friday. The shares of aircraft supplier Spirit AeroSystems fell 11.8 percent in after-hours trading in New York on Thursday.
Boeing is now likely to face an expensive recall. Spirit AeroSystems drew the company’s attention to the quality problem on Wednesday, but this probably dates back to 2019. All aircraft would be examined and the part replaced if necessary, Boeing said.
Problem not security relevant
Operating 737 Max machines could initially continue to fly because the problem was not safety-related, Boeing said. The US Federal Aviation Administration FAA agreed with the aircraft manufacturer that there was no immediate safety risk.
However, all affected machines will be checked before delivery. The authority has been doing this with all Boeing 737-Max and 737 since the crash. Some versions of the Boeing 737 Max, such as the Max 9, use the part from other suppliers who installed it correctly.
In the first quarter, Boeing delivered 111 737 Max aircraft alone, and it should actually be 400 by the end of the year. The US group wanted to increase production from 31 to 38 machines a month by June. A spokesman did not want to comment on whether it can stay that way.
More: At the beginning of the year, Boeing delivered slightly more than Airbus