info
Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Loose Screws At Boeing ... United Finds Multiple 737s With Loose Door Bolts
2 views
Skip to first unread message
56g.1183
Jan 8, 2024, 7:07:03 PMJan 8
to
https://www.dw.com/en/united-finds-loose-bolts-on-plane-panels-in-737-max-probe/a-67924547
US carrier United Airlines announced Monday that it founded
loose bolts on grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 planes in its fleet.
"Since we began preliminary inspections on Saturday, we have
found instances that appear to relate to installation sues
in the door plug _ for example, bolts that needed additional
tightening," Chicago-based United said.
The plug closes a hole that could be used for an extra emergency
exit door on planes configured with relatively high numbers of
seats.
. . .
There are more than a few loose screws at Boeing.
The 737-MAX series have been plagued.
There could be several reasons why the "door-plug"
bolts are loose. A mis-statement in one factory or
maint manual as to the proper screw-down torque
may exist. A single defective torque wrench used
on a number of planes too. Are some kind of lock-
washers or type of thread adhesive specified ...
and were they even used or of the right type to
prevent loosening from stress cycles or vibration ?
COULD be something as stupid as that which wrecked
a NASA rocket last year - specs in the wrong force
units, metric -vs- imperial -vs- a few other systems -
either specced in manuals or again if the wrench
wasn't right or even mis-read. Foot-pounds are not
Newton-meters !
Alas, sometimes it's those LITTLE things that cause
huge disasters. An aircraft is only as good as its
components and how they're stuck together. One bad
part in the wrong place and ........ hey, it was ONE
little wrong-model heating coil that blew up Apollo-13.
The Alaska plane had been getting "errant" decompression
warning lights it's past couple of flights. Likely they
weren't in error ... that the seal on the door was
starting to leak.
Boeing also makes the "StarLiner" crew capsule, intended
to complement Musk's moon/LEO offerings. It's had problems.
MAYbe somebody - or an 'AI' - should check back through
those manuals hmm ?
US carrier United Airlines announced Monday that it founded
loose bolts on grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 planes in its fleet.
"Since we began preliminary inspections on Saturday, we have
found instances that appear to relate to installation sues
in the door plug _ for example, bolts that needed additional
tightening," Chicago-based United said.
The plug closes a hole that could be used for an extra emergency
exit door on planes configured with relatively high numbers of
seats.
. . .
There are more than a few loose screws at Boeing.
The 737-MAX series have been plagued.
There could be several reasons why the "door-plug"
bolts are loose. A mis-statement in one factory or
maint manual as to the proper screw-down torque
may exist. A single defective torque wrench used
on a number of planes too. Are some kind of lock-
washers or type of thread adhesive specified ...
and were they even used or of the right type to
prevent loosening from stress cycles or vibration ?
COULD be something as stupid as that which wrecked
a NASA rocket last year - specs in the wrong force
units, metric -vs- imperial -vs- a few other systems -
either specced in manuals or again if the wrench
wasn't right or even mis-read. Foot-pounds are not
Newton-meters !
Alas, sometimes it's those LITTLE things that cause
huge disasters. An aircraft is only as good as its
components and how they're stuck together. One bad
part in the wrong place and ........ hey, it was ONE
little wrong-model heating coil that blew up Apollo-13.
The Alaska plane had been getting "errant" decompression
warning lights it's past couple of flights. Likely they
weren't in error ... that the seal on the door was
starting to leak.
Boeing also makes the "StarLiner" crew capsule, intended
to complement Musk's moon/LEO offerings. It's had problems.
MAYbe somebody - or an 'AI' - should check back through
those manuals hmm ?
0 new messages