The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered inspections for hundreds of Boeing 737 MAX planes, over concerns that cracks could develop along door reinforcements.
According to the Associated Press, the FAA's order applies to 471 Boeing 737 MAX-8, MAX 9, and MAX 8-200 jets in the U.S., in response to reports of possible cracks in metal sheets known as bear straps, which act as structural reinforcements for doorways and emergency exits. Although the issue has not been seen in the specific planes now under inspection, the FAA said that the aircraft follow a similar design to older models where cracks had previously been discovered in 2019, and could be susceptible to the same cracking issue. If cracks were to develop over time, they would weaken the surrounding fuselage, and compromise the ability of the planes to withstand the stresses of repeated flights and cabin pressurizations.
"This condition, if not addressed, may lead to the inability of a principal structural element to sustain limit loads and adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane," the FAA said in its directive.
In a statement to the AP, Boeing said that it had notified its operators of the potential issue in 2019, and at the time, had given them detailed instructions for conducting necessary inspections. Prior to the FAA's latest order, Boeing had also already extended those inspections to include its existing 737 MAX airplanes.
