CAAC: Over 450 Boeing 737 have potential safety hazards

[FarCenter]

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on March 15 ordered all domestic airlines to inspect Boeing 737 aircraft due to a potential safety hazard which could lead to loss of airplane control. It is believed that over 450 of the aircraft could have the problem.

The potential safety hazards are involved with only the 600, 700, 700C, 800, 900 and -900ER models of the Boeing 737 series, and the emergency airworthiness directive issued by the CAAC indicates that the safety hazards of the Boeing 737 aircraft are so serious that each airline must make inspections according to the directive, said the Department of Airworthiness Certification under the CAAC North China Regional Administration on March 16.

Emergency airworthiness directive

CAAC's emergency airworthiness directive stipulates that the inspection is aimed at preventing the lug bearings of the control structure for elevator tabs from becoming loose, which will cause unexpected turbulence. The problem will bring about the failure of the elevators or horizontal stabilizers, leading to a loss of aircraft control and structural integrity. The CAAC ordered airlines to make the inspections after receiving the directive and forward reports to Boeing within 10 days after the inspections. If airlines have already completed the inspections before receiving the directive, they should forward the reports within 10 days after receiving the directive.

On March 2, Ryanair's 737-800 aircraft traveling from the Netherlands to Madrid, Spain experienced severe turbulence in flight and temporarily landed in Belgium. A subsequent inspection found extensive damage to the left elevator of the horizontal tail. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered airlines to perform emergency inspections of the wing control structure on some Boeing 737 aircraft.

<SNIP>http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90778/90860/6923878.html

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The 450 just refers to the 737s flying for Chinese airlines.

[FarCenter]

1. 600 to be inspected in the US

http://www.dailytech.com/FAA+Orders+Emergency+Inspections+of+600+Boeing+737+Aircraft/article17893.htm

[vadawg]

2. well i guess this is the same as toyotas issues, we need to avoid boeings and fly airbus

if people are going to be consistant that is :)

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. AH - chicken little was just a wee bit ahead of his time . . .

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now the sky IS falling . . .

:silly:

[MercutioATC]

4. Considering that 6,285 of them have been produced (more than any other airliner)...

...they have a pretty safe record.