Work performed by Everett’s Aviation Technical Services has drawn scrutiny by federal aviation authorities.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating Southwest Airlines for safety violations, reports The Dallas Morning News.
The violations involve work performed by ATS for Southwest Airlines. ATS was to replace skin panels on 737s for Southwest under a directive from the FAA. The maintenance and repair company suggested an alternative to Southwest, which ultimately is responsible for getting any deviations approved by the FAA, an unnamed official told the newspaper.
The publication describes the deviations as follows:
Part of the work involved a process known as shoring, which is how mechanics secure the aircraft frame while skin panels are changed. In addition, the inspectors found that ATS’ mechanics didn’t always apply rivets to refasten the skin panels within the 20 hours prescribed by Boeing, the plane manufacturer. The rivets must be applied in that timeframe to ensure that sealant doesn’t leak out, creating a gap between the skin and the frame of the airplane.
In the worst-case scenario, faulty work could lead to metal fatigue, corrosion or other deterioration of the aircraft’s skin.
Southwest has been investigated and fined by the FAA several times over the past few years.
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