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Boeing 737 inspections: Half of older models show wear and tear
May 11, 1998
A 737 undergoes inspection
Web posted at: 12:13 p.m. EDT (1613 GMT)In this story:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- About half the older Boeing 737 planes inspected by the Federal Aviation Administration over the weekend have noticeable wear and tear, FAA administrator Jane Garvey said Monday. But there were no reports of significant disruptions in air travel as airlines carried out the ordered inspections.
On Thursday, the FAA gave carriers up to seven days to make the checks but stepped up inspections over the weekend after new cases of extensive wear in electrical wires running through wing fuel tanks. The bundled wires carry high voltage power to fuel pumps feeding the engines.
As of Monday morning, 47 aircraft had been inspected, and mechanics found some signs of abrasion in half of the bundles examined, Garvey said.
But she assured passengers that all 737s in the air today are safe. "The ones we're concerned about will not fly until they've been inspected, until we're sure ... that they are safe," she told an interviewer.
Jane Garvey, "Safety is a top priority for the FAA..."
(276K/25 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)The inspections must be performed on 179 U.S. registered Boeing 737-100 and 737-200 series planes with more than 50,000 flight hours before the aircraft are allowed to return to passenger service.
The FAA also ordered inspections over the next two weeks for 737s with between 40,000 and 50,000 flight hours, generally the newer generation Boeing 737-300, -400 and -500 aircraft.
U.S. in contact with international carriers
The Boeing 737 is the world's most popular airliner, with 2,716 registered worldwide and 1,088 registered in the United States. The FAA says there are 357 737s abroad that fall into categories covered by FAA orders.
While the FAA can not enforce inspections on non-U.S. registered 737s, Garvey told CNN the agency is confident other governments will address the safety issue and get their fleets inspected for possible wiring problems in the popular aircraft.
"At four o'clock Sunday morning, we were communicating with our counterparts in Europe. We let them know about the concerns that we have. And we're very confident and comfortable that they will be taking some actions as well," Garvey said in a live interview.
No major disruptions reported
United Airlines, which canceled 54 flights Sunday to make the emergency inspections, said it expected to have all of its 18 affected aircraft operating on Monday.
Southwest Airlines, which has 35 such airplanes in its all-737 fleet, had mechanics work in teams of three over the weekend to finish the inspections.
Continental Airlines, which had 18 planes affected, said Sunday that five of them had been inspected with no timetable set for checking the remaining 13. The airline, which brought in substitute aircraft, said it expected few cancellations on Monday.
Other major airlines have few or no 737s in their fleets.
Message board:
Related stories:
- Airlines report few delays after latest 737 order - May 7, 1998
- FAA orders urgent inspections of older Boeing 737s - May 7, 1998
- FAA proposes safety changes to 737s - April 16, 1998
- NTSB wants older 747s checked and rewired - April 7, 1998
- FAA inspectors find no 737 safety problems - February 12, 1998
Related sites:
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- FAA: Status of Boeing 737 wiring inspections
- National Transportation Safety Board
- Federal Aviation Administration
- The Boeing Company
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