Airlines around the world have been asked to inspect Boeing 737 Max jets after an unnamed airline discovered a missing part on the plane, which has sparked controversy and could even be "dangerous", according to news.com.au.
According to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing has instructed operators to look for possible loose bolts in the rudder control system. The rudder controls the movement of the aircraft around its vertical axis while in flight.
Virgin Australia's new Boeing 737 Max 8, named Monkey Mia, was delivered to the airline in Seattle on June 27, 2023.
The inspection was prompted when an airline found a bolt missing a nut during routine maintenance. The FAA said the international airline discovered the incident.
An improperly tightened lug nut was also found on a second undelivered aircraft.
"The FAA will consider additional action based on any further findings of loose or missing hardware."
A Boeing spokesman said the missing nut had been repaired and "the issue identified on that specific aircraft has been resolved".
"Out of an abundance of caution, we recommend that operators inspect their 737 Max aircraft and notify us of any findings. We have notified the FAA and our customers and will continue to keep them informed of progress," the airline said.
Boeing said 1,370 planes worldwide are subject to inspections.
Virgin Australia has three and Bonza is believed to have six.
The inspection only lasted about two hours, but the issue, along with other production and manufacturing issues, forced the company to lower its 737 Max delivery target for this year.
It is important to note that the Boeing 737 Max has a troubled history. Two 737 Max planes — Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Indonesian Lion Air Flight 610 — crashed in October 2018 and March 2019, killing 346 people.
Boeing 737 Max aircraft parked at the company's manufacturing facility in Washington
The jets have been grounded until they are allowed to fly again in the US in 2020 and in the UK and EU in 2021.
According to CNN, the incident caused Boeing to lose more than 20 billion USD, becoming one of the most costly corporate tragedies in history.
"If the plane left the factory with this missing part, it would suggest that the safety culture improvements and safety-critical system inspection improvements at Boeing over the past three years have not worked," said CNN safety analyst David Soucie.
Boeing shares fell 0.7% on Friday in New York.
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