This is making the news since it's another Boeing issue, but it seems like any issue with a 757 at this point would be from improper maintenance, right?
For those who are going to chime in about it being another issue about Boeing, this is a 777 so is not a new manufacture aircraft. This is a maintenance issue, not a manufacturing issue.
This is most certainly a maintenance issue, not a production issue since this a part that is often temporarily removed.
Not trying to defend boeing but please be aware that these incidents are somewhat common and are currently being disproportionally reported due their relevance of past events.
This particular airframe was built in 1998, so this likely has more do do with whomever is providing the maintenance than it does with Boeing’s shockingly bad recent QA issues.
More likely because it's a maintenance issue at the airline, and not a structural issue at Boeing, especially given the 777's solid track record over decades service.
Given the number of airframes that rolled out over the decades that didn’t have this issue, I’m inclined to believe there isn’t necessarily an issue with the aircraft. Now Boeing’s manufacturing quality over the last 5-10 years though, that seems to be a major problem. Look at the issues the US Armed forces have had with receiving incomplete aircraft with missing parts and misplaced tools.
The entire industry seems to be under strain since COVID. There was a massive brain drain across the entire system and it’s causing issues at all levels. Many working in the industry are on edge trying to maintain safety.
Ya, 787 quality issues have been publicized for a few years now, especially at the South Carolina facility. I also remember the DoD temporarily stopping deliveries of planes from Being due to quality, possibly last year or the year before.
If this turns out to be the assembly issue it seems to be, it hints at a deeper, potentially cultural, issue at Boeing. One that could affect all their planes, because why would only be the B737 MAX FAL be sloppy?
We should look at the root cause, which is Boeing installing much more powerful engines on an old frame that wasn't designed for it. They haven't properly done it.
> A design problem probably would have shown up in an older one.
Maybe, unless it required really specific conditions that have only occurred for this one or also required some maintenance snafu that also had nothing to do with Boeing assembly QA. We don’t have enough data to establish anything as the most probable explanation yet.
Not the engines but they do make the cowlings afaik. Also they sell the plane as a whole so they're responsible for it even if they didn't make every part in house.
But yeah it's really unlikely to be a Boeing issue and much more likely a maintenance or external issue.
A lot of Boeing's recent issues haven't been in design, but assembly (missing bolts, etc).
That being said, planes malfunction all the time, often due to poor maintenance. Boeing's incidents make the headlines because of increased media scrutiny.
Last year's issue related to joints around the rear pressure bulkhead. This article indicates the new issue is a similar problem related to the forward pressure bulkhead.
To me its interesting that they wouldn't redesign the part as it would be admission of causing previous crashes? Kinda scary that the lawyers rule USA at the end of the day.
Its easy to blame Boeing for faults like this but its a miracle that these things fly so reliably with so many moving parts and human involvement.
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