scrubbedexpat091

Not related to software but the FAA has found some issues with certain 737 NG's and MAX aircraft leading edge slat tracks that were not manufactured correctly by the sub-contractor who made the part.

The issue affects 133 NG and 179 MAX aircraft.

Boeing has not yet submitted the software for approval.

https://globalnews.ca/news/5344272/b...-Jy-FPfrrOopqY

Snowy560

I've just received an updated itinerary from AC: our flight to Montreal is now going to be on an Airbus 321 rather than the 737 MAX this is in early August.

scrubbedexpat091

Air Canada has also had to charter to other airlines for summer to try and keep the schedule the best they can. I know they have an Omni Air International 767 in Vancouver now for I think Hawaii flights to help cover the 737 MAX grounding, Omni is a US charter airline.

dave_j

So part of a wing has been badly manufactured and installed on new aircraft... "potential problems discovered in one batch of “slat tracks” produced by a supplier."
Q. If the part was badly manufactured and forms part of a batch of poorly manufactured parts, how was it discovered?
Q. Did one fail in flight or was it detected on the ground?
Q. If detected on the ground how was it not detected when installed?
Q. Was Boeing informed by the supplier or was it informed by a customer or did it find out for itself?
A. from Boeing ????

scrubbedexpat091

CNN article below has a bit more info.

"The company discovered the problem Friday, when Boeing was meeting with the parts supplier. Boeing employees noticed some of the parts were not heat treated, which led them to believe there might be a safety issue."

Doesn't appear any airlines have had any issues.

"The company and the FAA said it has not been notified of any incidents related to the tracks on operating flights, and the fix should take a couple days to complete."

https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/02/busin...ies/index.html

MidAtlantic

This really calls into question the quality control both at the supplier end and during assembly. The fix may only take a couple of days per plane, but all 737s (not just the Max) now have to be checked under an FAA directive.

Boeing needs to get their act together pdq.

dave_j

Many thanks for that and it raises significant issues.
Heat Treatment is a vital part of the manufacturing process. It determines the structure, strength and stress of finished items and generally discolours the finished part. In this case that's apparently how it was uncovered.
But the supplier needs to answer some serious questions and Boeing needs to be asking them and should buy the person who found the problem a pint. The last thing it needs is part of a wing falling off because yet another procedure wasn't followed correctly.

scrubbedexpat091

Looks like the software fix and pilot training recommendations have been submitted to various regulators.

https://www.seattletimes.com/busines...al-regulators/

"chief financial officer and executive vice president for strategy, said Boeing has turned over to the regulators its software fix for the 737 MAX flight-control system, as well as recommendations for additional pilot training and is now answering detailed technical questions from all corners of the globe every day."

scrubbedexpat091

American Airlines has adjusted their schedule to remove MAX aircraft now until September 3, previously they had removed MAX for their schedule until August 9. The schedule change will result in 115 daily flights being cancelled.

Southwest and United have not yet changed, and have MAX removed until August 3rd and 5th as previously announced.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...through-sept-3

Snowy560

My AC flight to Montreal which has been rescheduled an hour earlier to a A320, is for August 8 so I guess AC are taking a similar approach.

I don't think it's going to work to get the 737 MAX back in service too early because there'll be a perception the Approval has been rushed and the plane may still not be safe. Not that I think it'll be safe anyway frankly but I'm a most nervous passenger.

scrubbedexpat091

They have. MAX is off AC schedule until Sept 2 currently.

AC has also chartered at least one 767 from a US charter airline to help cover some if its needs.

thistlehollyberry

Our Air Canada 737 flights from Toronto to Shannon (July) were rerouted through Heathrow with a 1 hr 15 minute connection time. When I expressed concern that that might be enough time to transit through Immigration and was told that if I missed the flight I would have to rebook another flight at my cost. The next connection was 6 hours. I was then offered a connection via Gatwick. The agent had no idea about geography. I proposed Toronto to Dublin on the inward flight and Shannon via Heathrow on the return flight as it was a better connection. I was told no I couldn't do that because it would involve more than one airport! I asked to speak with a manager and was told that managers don't speak with customers. I could have booked initially Toronto to Dublin at a lesser cost but chose to pay more for a direct flight to Shannon. I was not impressed with Air Canada's customer service.

magnumpi

thistlehollyberry

Agent couldn't confirm. She honestly was not of much help - kept having to refer questions to someone else but wouldn't let us speak to her superior. Also said luggage should make it all the through - should - not would!

Gordon Barlow

As far as I recall, if an airline books you with a short connection time it must honour the ticket. (If you miss the connection, they must carry you on the next flight with no charge.) That's always been my experience with BA, going through LHR to Norway. But maybe it applies only if it's the same airline on both legs. Or, they might have changed since the last time I flew that way four years ago. What's the story today?