EVERETT — The Boeing Co.’s widebody jets, except the 787, all need to be inspected for faulty parts similar to the problem the jetmaker had with its single-aisle 737.
Boeing partner Spirit AeroSystems discovered one of its three suppliers of nutplates, which work like fasteners, lacked an anti-corrosive coating. Boeing disclosed earlier this month that faulty parts affected its Renton-built 737 jet. But the company confirmed Tuesday that its widebody jets — 747, 767 and 777 — also were impacted.
Boeing’s Bev Holland stressed that problem does not create a flight safety issue. Boeing and Spirit, which originally installs the nutplates on aircraft fuselages before shipping the sections to Boeing, are inspecting nutplates on all aircraft in production and are replacing faulty pieces.
“There’s a potential that every plane built since September 2007 could be affected including all the planes in production,” Holland said.
Workers in Everett are inspecting the 747, 767 and 777 planes still at the factory just as Boeing employees in Renton are responsible for checking the 737 nutplates.
Boeing has delivered 19 747 jets, 12 767s and 82 of its 777 aircraft since September 2007.
“We are still working with the FAA and with Spirit on how to address those in-service planes,” Holland said.
The company, along with the Federal Aviation Administration and Spirit, are determining when those affected in-service aircraft should be checked — whether it be at a routine inspection. Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner is not impacted by the issue.
The story was first announced on fleetbuzzeditorial.com Tuesday morning.
Earlier this month, Scott Carson, president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said that Spirit addressed the problem appropriately, bringing it to Boeing’s attention.
“It shows the system is working,” Carson said.
Boeing has seen several setbacks recently, including delaying the first deliveries of its 777 Freighter and 747-8 jumbo jet. The company also pushed back the first flight of its delayed 787 Dreamliner following a 57-day Machinist strike. But Carson dismissed speculation of a larger structural problem at Boeing.
“There isn’t anything fundamentally broken,” he said.
Boeing’s second largest union, its engineers and technical workers, will vote on a new four-year contract Monday.
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