747-8 FLUTTER ISSUE
By Julie Johnsson
Bloomberg News
Boeing’s newest 747 jumbo jetliner faces a risk of dangerous vibrations, known as “flutter,” in limited situations, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
Data analysis shows that “divergent flutter,” oscillations of a wing that could cause it to break up, may occur on the 747-8 during a “high g-load maneuver in combination with certain system failures,” the FAA said Wednesday. G-loading refers to the stresses on a plane that can increase during acceleration and turns.
Operators of the passenger and freighter versions of the humpbacked jets are required to make wing repairs during the next year to five years to avoid safety issues, according to an FAA bulletin.