737NGs have cracked 'pickle forks' after finding several in the jets.
As someone who cut their teeth on Boeing Structures with the B 727 -223 and also a few of years on B-757-200 it is very sad to see what has become of Boeing Airplanes. I also have about 6 years experience on B 737 - 800 Structures. To borrow an expression from a TV Commercial the B 737-800 " Is Not Your Daddy's Boeing". In my OPINION it is an example of Lean MFG Gone Wild. I can tell you that Boeing Airplanes do develop cracks and corrosion in Primary Structure Members over time. What is concerning about this story and my experience with the
B 737 -800 is how early into the service life these Structure members are cracking.The B 727's were much older when we started seeing these kinds of problems. A lot of the problems with the B 737 -800 APPEARS to be Design issues to save weight as compared with the B 727 that was built like a tank. I do not recall issues with the B 727 Pickle Forks but the Wing Rib Chords were cracking on the 727 much later in the life cycle of the Airframe.
Example B 737-800 - In an apparent effort to save weight the Skin and Stingers above the cabin floor line were made in a manner that Boeing had to go back and add Bonded Doublers to the Skin and Stringer Hats. These were added to stop vibrations and buzzing of the Airframe and are called Acoustic Dampeners . We experienced a lot of cracking on the Main Frames where the Lower brackets of the Overhead Bins attach to the Frame. We discovered these on numerous B 737-800 frames in their 1st Heavy C Checks which were relatively low time aircraft. The repair includes stop drilling / routing out the crack - cold working the holes - and installing a doubler. We did not see this on the B 727 and B 757 Generation aircraft this early into the life cycle. All these repairs just add weight back to the aircraft that Boeing seemed to be avoiding in the original design and MFG. .
The first generation B-737 were built like the B 707 and B 727 Airframes : Heavy Duty. Even with the Stringer 10 Skin Lap Corrosion issues they were much better built airframes in my opinion. The Aloha B 737 Proved this in Hawaii.Pictures are available on Goggle Images because this forum will not let me upload pictures.
B 737 -800 is how early into the service life these Structure members are cracking.The B 727's were much older when we started seeing these kinds of problems. A lot of the problems with the B 737 -800 APPEARS to be Design issues to save weight as compared with the B 727 that was built like a tank. I do not recall issues with the B 727 Pickle Forks but the Wing Rib Chords were cracking on the 727 much later in the life cycle of the Airframe.
Example B 737-800 - In an apparent effort to save weight the Skin and Stingers above the cabin floor line were made in a manner that Boeing had to go back and add Bonded Doublers to the Skin and Stringer Hats. These were added to stop vibrations and buzzing of the Airframe and are called Acoustic Dampeners . We experienced a lot of cracking on the Main Frames where the Lower brackets of the Overhead Bins attach to the Frame. We discovered these on numerous B 737-800 frames in their 1st Heavy C Checks which were relatively low time aircraft. The repair includes stop drilling / routing out the crack - cold working the holes - and installing a doubler. We did not see this on the B 727 and B 757 Generation aircraft this early into the life cycle. All these repairs just add weight back to the aircraft that Boeing seemed to be avoiding in the original design and MFG. .
The first generation B-737 were built like the B 707 and B 727 Airframes : Heavy Duty. Even with the Stringer 10 Skin Lap Corrosion issues they were much better built airframes in my opinion. The Aloha B 737 Proved this in Hawaii.Pictures are available on Goggle Images because this forum will not let me upload pictures.
