Defect in 737 Max may derail Boeing's delivery plans

Boeing has discovered that its largest supplier has improperly drilled holes in a component of 737 Max Jet, threatening to derail delivery targets for its best-selling model. As per Bloomberg, the defect is found in the component that helps in maintaining cabin pressure of the 737 Max Jet.

The Federal Aviation Administration has said that the latest issue for Boeing’s cash-cow jet isn’t a safety threat. However, this comes as another complication for Boeing as it speeds the manufacturing pace of the 737 family while dealing with supply-chain strains and the aftermath of a strike at Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc., the supplier that builds about 70% of the narrowbody jet frames.

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“During factory inspections, we identified fastener holes that did not conform to our specifications in the aft pressure bulkhead on certain 737 airplanes,” Boeing told Bloomberg. As per a report by The Air Current, the inspections have uncovered hundreds of misaligned and duplicated holes in some aircraft.

This would delay the delivery of the aircraft including snarling a plane going to the Malaysian Airline System. As Boeing conducts inspections and determines how many models were affected and what work they need, the company is also evaluating whether it will be able to reach its target of delivering 400 to 450 of the 737-family jets this year.