Current:Home > FinanceA new setback hits a Boeing jet: US will require inspection of pilot seats on 787s-InfoLens
A new setback hits a Boeing jet: US will require inspection of pilot seats on 787s
View Date:2024-12-23 12:06:28
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal safety officials are requiring inspections of cockpit seats on Boeing 787 Dreamliners after one of the jets went into a dive when the captain’s seat lurched forward without warning and disconnected the plane’s autopilot system.
Boeing also has stopped test flights of a new version of its 777 jetliner after discovering a damaged structural part between the engine and the rest of the plane. The new model has not yet been approved by regulators.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in an order scheduled to be published Wednesday that it will require operators of 787s to inspect both pilot seats for missing or cracked caps that cover a switch used to move the seats.
During a March flight by Chile-based Latam Airlines, the captain’s seat moved forward and hit a switch that disconnected the autopilot system. The plane, flying from Australia to New Zealand, rapidly dropped about 400 feet (120 meters) before the co-pilot regained control, according to a preliminary report by Chilean authorities. Several dozen passengers were injured, according to news reports.
Within days of the incident, Boeing recommended that airlines look at the cockpit seats on 787s for loose caps on the switches and told them how to turn off power to the motorized seats.
The FAA said it has received four other reports from Boeing of cockpit seats moving when not intended to, including one in June.
The FAA said its safety order will affect 158 planes registered in the United States.
Separately, the FAA published a final rule requiring airlines to inspect inlets around ducts in engine anti-ice systems on 787s for signs of heat damage. The agency proposed the rule in February after a report of damage to “multiple” engine inlets caused by missing or “degraded” seals around the ducts.
Boeing identified the inlet issue in bulletins sent to airlines last year.
Meanwhile, Boeing suffered a setback in its effort to win FAA certification of the 777-9, a new, long-range addition to its lineup of 777 jets. The plane might be most noteworthy for its folding wingtips, which would allow the larger model to fit at airport gates designed for other 777s.
Boeing said Tuesday it has stopped flights after one of four test planes was found to have cracks on a part called a thrust link that helps balance load between the engines and the aircraft. The issue surfaced after a test flight returned to Hawaii.
“During scheduled maintenance, we identified a component that did not perform as designed,” Boeing said in a statement. “Our team is replacing the part and capturing any learnings from the component and will resume flight testing when ready.”
Boeing said there are four thrust links on each 777-9 — two on each engine for redundancy. The company said the component is new to the 777-9 and is not used on existing 777s or other planes.
Boeing, which is based in Arlington, Virginia, said it was keeping the FAA and airlines informed about the issue.
The problem with the component was first reported by The Air Current.
veryGood! (15)
Related
- Prayers and cheeseburgers? Chiefs have unlikely fuel for inexplicable run
- Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira to face military justice proceeding
- Medicaid expansion discussions could fall apart in Republican-led Mississippi
- Do you own chickens? Here's how to protect your flock from bird flu outbreaks
- Why Officials Believe a Missing Kayaker Faked His Own Death and Ran Off to Europe
- Yankees vs. Orioles battle for AL East supremacy just getting started
- Man says his emotional support alligator, known for its big social media audience, has gone missing
- King Charles returns to public work with a visit to a London cancer center
- Smithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
- West Virginia GOP County Commissioners removed from office after arrest for skipping meetings
Ranking
- Judge extends the time to indict the driver accused of killing Johnny Gaudreau and his brother
- Füllkrug fires Dortmund to 1-0 win over Mbappé's PSG in Champions League semifinal first leg
- Exxon Criticized ICN Stories Publicly, But Privately, Didn’t Dispute The Findings
- Füllkrug fires Dortmund to 1-0 win over Mbappé's PSG in Champions League semifinal first leg
- Nicky Hilton Shares Her Christmas Plans With Paris, the Secret To Perfect Skin & More Holiday Gift Picks
- Arizona governor set to sign repeal of near-total abortion ban from 1864
- 5th victim’s body recovered from Baltimore Key Bridge collapse, 1 still missing
- Correctional officers shoot, kill inmate during transport in West Feliciana Parish
Recommendation
-
13 escaped monkeys still on the loose in South Carolina after 30 were recaptured
-
Seriously, You Need to See Aerie's Summer Sales (Yes, Plural): Save Up to 60% Off on Apparel, Swim & More
-
One Tech Tip: How to repair an electric toothbrush
-
North Carolina Republicans seek hundreds of millions of dollars more for school vouchers
-
Benny Blanco Reveals Selena Gomez's Rented Out Botanical Garden for Lavish Date Night
-
Time's money, but how much? Here's what Americans think an hour of their time is worth
-
Chris Hemsworth thinks 'Thor: Love and Thunder' was a miss: 'I became a parody of myself'
-
One Tech Tip: How to repair an electric toothbrush