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-   -   Boeing notifies FAA that parts in Max and other 737s may be ‘susceptible to premature (https://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/622123-boeing-notifies-faa-parts-max-other-737s-may-susceptible-premature.html)

Havingwings4ever 2nd Jun 2019 21:44

Boeing notifies FAA that parts in Max and other 737s may be ‘susceptible to premature
 
cnbc.com/2019/06/02/boeing-notifies-faa-of-737-max-parts-that-may-be-susceptible-to-failure.html

Guess a roll of duct tape on board isn't gonna be accepted....

Dee Vee 3rd Jun 2019 00:21


Originally Posted by Havingwings4ever (Post 10485058)

Seems like Boeing are using the old "not our fault" line, its one of their suppliers and THEIR manufacturing process.

I think they have been watching too many episodes of "suits" and think they can get away with this "Plausible deniability" line.

Water pilot 3rd Jun 2019 00:41

So who pays for the replacement?

etudiant 3rd Jun 2019 00:55

There was a whistle blower thread here on PPRN alleging just that, substandard subcontractor parts manufacturing and faked QC, but no official investigation afaik.
Perhaps these concerns will now be explored more fully. As SLF, can only hope Boeing is in the clear on this.

Nervous SLF 3rd Jun 2019 02:54


Originally Posted by etudiant (Post 10485122)
There was a whistle blower thread here on PPRN alleging just that, substandard subcontractor parts manufacturing and faked QC, but no official investigation afaik.
Perhaps these concerns will now be explored more fully. As SLF, can only hope Boeing is in the clear on this.

I wonder if you mean this one?

https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes...637901849.html



Dannyboy39 3rd Jun 2019 07:06

Which AD is this? I can’t seem to find anything on the FAA (or EASA) website?

Surely this is fake news... as like 2000 ADs are released by FAA and EASA every year?!

micis 3rd Jun 2019 07:14

It is on the FAA website: www (dot) faa (dot) gov/news/updates/?newsId=93206

6/2/2019 UpdateFAA Statement

Boeing has informed the FAA that certain 737NG and 737MAX leading edge slat tracks may have been improperly manufactured and may not meet all applicable regulatory requirements for strength and durability.

Following an investigation conducted by Boeing and the FAA Certificate Management Office (CMO), we have determined that up to 148 parts manufactured by a Boeing sub-tier supplier are affected. Boeing has identified groups of both 737NG and 737MAX airplane serial numbers on which these suspect parts may have been installed. 32 NG and 33 MAX are affected in the U.S. Affected worldwide fleet are 133 NG and 179 MAX aircraft.

The affected parts may be susceptible to premature failure or cracks resulting from the improper manufacturing process. Although a complete failure of a leading edge slat track would not result in the loss of the aircraft, a risk remains that a failed part could lead to aircraft damage in fight.

The FAA will issue an Airworthiness Directive to mandate Boeing's service actions to identify and remove the discrepant parts from service. Operators of affected aircraft are required to perform this action within 10 days. The FAA today also alerted international civil aviation authorities of this condition and required actions.

fizz57 3rd Jun 2019 07:17


Originally Posted by Dannyboy39 (Post 10485240)
Which AD is this? I can’t seem to find anything on the FAA (or EASA) website?

Surely this is fake news... as like 2000 ADs are released by FAA and EASA every year?!

The article dated yesterday said that the FAA "will release" an AD. So give them a chance before crying out fake news (though you're in good company with this).

More concerning perhaps is that half the article deals with the MAX problem rather than this particular issue. While copywriters might be paid by the word, it illustrates the public perception Boeing is facing.

Joe_K 3rd Jun 2019 07:53


Originally Posted by Dannyboy39 (Post 10485240)
Which AD is this? I can’t seem to find anything on the FAA (or EASA) website?

Surely this is fake news... as like 2000 ADs are released by FAA and EASA every year?!

It is literally the first thing you see when you open the FAA website. With the heading "FAA Updates on Boeing 737 MAX"...

AviatorDave 3rd Jun 2019 08:14


Originally Posted by Nervous SLF (Post 10485154)

I don't think so. There was a guy with an Asian-sounding name here on PPRUNE with a lengthy whistleblower thread. As far as I recall from skim reading through his posts, it was exactly the issue with faked leading edge components that he tried to get official attention about.

Smdts 3rd Jun 2019 08:48

Was it not charles shi or something along those lines? most people were quick to dismiss his claims, although having several bad experiences myself trying to get safety critical items made in china I can believe it.

GordonR_Cape 3rd Jun 2019 09:20


Originally Posted by AviatorDave (Post 10485281)
I don't think so. There was a guy with an Asian-sounding name here on PPRUNE with a lengthy whistleblower thread. As far as I recall from skim reading through his posts, it was exactly the issue with faked leading edge components that he tried to get official attention about.

There seem to be many parts subcontractors, but the previous allegations were about flight spoilers on the B777: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-c...-idUSKBN1CL0R2

The B737 story is a new issue, and there are few details so far. Original story link: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-b...-idUSKCN1T30RX

AviatorDave 3rd Jun 2019 09:34


Originally Posted by GordonR_Cape (Post 10485333)
There seem to be many parts subcontractors, but the previous allegations were about flight spoilers on the B777: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-c...-idUSKBN1CL0R2

The B737 story is a new issue, and there are few details so far. Original story link: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-b...-idUSKCN1T30RX

Ah, OK. Thanks for clarification.

ATC Watcher 3rd Jun 2019 09:46

From the FAA AD :

Although a complete failure of a leading edge slat track would not result in the loss of the aircraft, a risk remains that a failed part could lead to aircraft damage in fight.
Just asking , on the 737 , asymmetric slats deployment is not big issue ?

Gove N.T. 3rd Jun 2019 10:53


Originally Posted by etudiant (Post 10485122)
There was a whistle blower thread here on PPRN alleging just that, substandard subcontractor parts manufacturing and faked QC, but no official investigation afaik.
Perhaps these concerns will now be explored more fully. As SLF, can only hope Boeing is in the clear on this.

the AlJazera article reports that the whistleblowers took their concerns to the US Justice Department because it has a legal responsibility to protect whistleblowers..
Further down in the article it reports that these whistleblowers lost their jobs.
it would be of interest to establish the reason why they lost their jobs and whether the DOJ investigated given their legal responsibility to protect whistleblowers.


73qanda 3rd Jun 2019 11:14

From August 2017

In an emailed response to Reuters, the FAA said it investigated safety concerns raised by a whistleblower, Charles Shi, and substantiated two of his allegations. One was addressed and closed, and the other “remains open until the corrective action is fully implemented by Boeing and verified by the FAA.” It did not elaborate.

Boeing said it and Moog “had already assessed these two issues and taken all necessary corrective actions.” It stressed that “the safety of the flying public is our primary concern.”

Moog said it “promptly and properly investigated” the irregularities. “The suspect parts - none of which are flight safety critical - were determined to meet specifications,” it said.

Shi did have a long running thread on here trying to get some attention on the subject but I can’t find it through search functions now. It may still be there. I know it was a few months back.

73qanda 3rd Jun 2019 11:15

From a 2019 news article

As investigations of the crashes of two Boeing 737 MAX jetliners continue, a former supply chain manager of the contractor for Boeing’s flight control systems says that substandard parts made in China with non-aerospace material have been installed in 777 and 737 planes that are still in service.

73qanda 3rd Jun 2019 11:19

More from Shi. He has gone out on a limb to keep people safe.

As the manager for Moog Aircraft, Shi said he was responsible for the quality of the parts and materials that were purchased from all suppliers, and had the right to audit those suppliers.

Shi later told the FAA that he believed, based on his investigation, that NHJ had faked the raw material purchase record, and outsourced parts for Moog to an unknown supplier.

“NHJ was outsourcing Moog/Boeing business to other unknown and unapproved sub-contractors. One-third of Moog’s business, which was Boeing plane parts, was outsourced to illicit sub-contractors during 2015-2017. And I am willing to testify to this under oath,” Shi told The Epoch Times.

FAA Investigation

Shi’s discovery of the outsourcing was confirmed by an FAA investigation conducted in September 2016. According to an FAA memorandum, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, two allegations made by Shi were found “substantiated”:
  1. “Moog’s supplier NHJ outsourced Moog machined parts to an unknown supplier.
  2. “Shenhai, a NHJ subcontractor, did not properly bake parts both before and after the cadmium plating process, and forged the production process card. The improperly baked parts consisted of four different part numbers.”


73qanda 3rd Jun 2019 11:21

March 27 2019 news article

Of greatest concern to Shi is that many NHJ parts are “safety sensitive,” and one is “safety critical.”

One part (Part number: P665A0039–02) is the blocking or mounting lug of the Boeing 737’s spoiler. This is a “Single Point Of Failure (SPOF)” part; if this part fails, the entire system will fail, which may cause a fatal accident.

According to a purchase list provided by Shi, Moog has bought 6986 SPOF parts from NHJ during 2015-2017. Shi said these parts can be used to equip more than 600 aircraft, as each 737 uses 10 pieces.

Shi said Moog is the exclusive supplier for all models of the Boeing 737, including the Max planes, and NHJ is the only supplier for this SPOF part for the 737 spoiler. His conservative estimate is that 500 Boeing planes may have been compromised, and are still in service.


BluSdUp 3rd Jun 2019 12:14

Replacement time?
 
Could any Engineer give us an estimated time in man hrs for such a replacement.
I have unfortunately no interaction with the heavy maintenance as the 738 just keeps on ticking during normal ops.
During Bird strike Inspection I have inspected the Slat Tracks and Flaps fully extended and I doubt that the replacement takes less then say two days.
Anyone?

Regards
Cpt B


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