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Boeing has yet another problem, and once again it has to do with the 737 Max.
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The company has told the Federal Aviation Administration that some of its 737 Max and 737 NG aircraft may have faulty parts on the wing that need replacing.
The FAA announced Sunday that worldwide 133 NG (Next Generation) and 179 MAX aircraft were potentially affected by an issue with “leading-edge slat tracks” that was due to improper manufacturing by a Boeing supplier.
“The affected parts may be susceptible to premature failure or cracks resulting from the improper manufacturing process,” the FAA said in a statement.
The FAA said a “complete failure” of the faulty part wouldn’t bring a plane down but could lead to the aircraft being damaged in flight.
“We are committed to supporting our customers in every way possible as they identify and replace these potentially nonconforming tracks,” Boeing CEO Kevin McAllister said in a statement.
This latest problem for Boeing comes after its 737 Max was grounded worldwide in March in the wake of the Ethiopian Air crash that killed 157 people, which followed a Lion Air crash in Indonesia that left 189 dead last October.
A recent New York Times report detailed how flaws were built into the 737 Max plane late in the development process with an overhaul of the MCAS anti-stall software in the plane. The story revealed that many involved in the building and testing of the plane didn’t know the system ended up relying on just one sensor. And instead of the system being used for only high-speed situations, the anti-stall system was reportedly expanded for use during most of the flight — which led to the system being allowed to aggressively shift the direction of the nose of the plane because lower speeds require more movement to steer. Preliminary investigations have shown the MCAS software played a role in both crashes.
Cover Image: A Boeing 737 MAX 8 jetliner being built for Turkish Airlines takes off on a test flight, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Renton, Wash.(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
