FAA and Boeing testing aircraft for possible outer shell fault

Airline Industry Information, Oct 28, 2004

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Tiny scratches which have begun appearing on the outer shells of Boeing aircraft are being investigated as a potential safety hazard by the US aircraft manufacturer in conjunction with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

A spokesperson for Boeing said that the scratches appear when the aircraft are being prepared for repainting, when workers scape off a sealant used in the joints that hold sections of the aluminium skin together. The FAA issued a safety bulletin on the problem in late 2003 claiming that the scratches could lead to bigger cracks which could potentially lead to decompression and pieces of skin being stripped off.

Boeing is set to issue a bulletin to airlines in late 2004 and the FAA is considering an order for all repainted aircraft to be inspected and repairs made if needed. The problem was first identified during routine maintenance in October 2003 and has appeared on 60 Boeing aircraft, mainly 737s, but also on a few 747s, one 757 and one 767. Out of 80 aircraft inspected only two were found to have cracks that needed repair.

Aircraft with the scratches were permitted to fly by the FAA but have been put under an order to be inspected after every 250 flight hours which works out at around once a month for the Boeing 737 aircraft, reports The Associated Press.

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