The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) late on January 21 recommended that Boeing 737-900ER aircraft operators carefully check the middle emergency exit latches to ensure that this part is properly secured, Reuters reported.
The recommendation was issued after a Boeing 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines experienced a mid-air fuselage failure on January 5. According to the FAA, although the 737-900ER is not part of the 737 MAX 9 series, it has a similar door design.
An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900ER
The FAA also said that some airlines have conducted additional inspections of the 737-900ER’s center exit door and have noted some bolt issues during maintenance. The Boeing 737-900ER has more than 11 million hours of service and 3.9 million flight cycles.
“We fully support the FAA and our customers in this action,” a Boeing spokesperson said.
In another development, the FAA has issued a new Airworthiness Directive (AD), allowing most Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft to return to service. The new document was issued shortly after the FAA completed inspections of 40 737 MAX 9 aircraft operated by Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, Aero Crew News reported.
ADs are mandatory maintenance orders issued by the FAA to ensure flight safety. They are issued to address safety concerns and may require mandatory maintenance at a specific periodic timeframe, which may be determined by flight time.
Both Boeing and Spirit Aerospace, which builds the fuselage for the 737 MAX, are opening their facilities to airline customers who want to see the production process firsthand. Boeing is also holding quality management sessions for employees and inviting third-party independent reviews of its manufacturing processes.
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