Boeing has detected debris in the fuel tanks of a large number of its 737 Max aircrafts that are in storage. This could pose a serious security threat and is the latest setback for the company which has been struggling hard to bring back the troubled aircraft to service.
Boeing's troubles seem only to be mounting and the latest revelations once again will raise questions on the aircraft's safety features and may also delay the return of the aircraft to service. The aircraft maker best-selling 737 Max have been grounded for almost a year now.
Another crisis
Boeing which has detected debris in several of the fuel tanks of its 737 Max aircraft that are in storage and awaiting deliveries once the aircraft returns to service may once again put its return in jeopardy. The aircraft maker has often detected foreign object debris (FOD), which is an industrial term for rags, metal shavings, tools and other materials that have been left behind by its workers during the production process. This has been a serious quality control issue with the company.
The company issued a memo to its employees stating that FOD "is absolutely unacceptable". "One escape is one too many. With your help and focus, we will eliminate FOD from our production system," read the note from Mark Jenks, vice president and general manager of the 737 program and the Renton, Washington, factory.
However, the note didn't mention the number of aircrafts where such debris was detected. Debris in completed aircrafts is a serious quality control and can pose serious security threat in the form of short circuits and fires.
Boeing's crisis mounts
Boeing said that it was taking necessary action to address the issue in its production system. Boeing manufactured around 400 of these aircrafts. However, it couldn't deliver the aircrafts following the grounding of the aircrafts. These aircrafts lie in the company's storage.
Boeing's 737 Max aircrafts remain grounded since March 2019 following two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people. Since then the aircraft marker has been struggling hard to return the aircraft to service, which is presently being investigated the Federal Aviation Administrations.
This is eating into the company's profits as a number of airline companies are demanding compensation owing to the cancellations of hundreds of 737 Max flights for months now. Last month, Boeing posted its first annual loss in more than 22 years. However, the company said that the detection of debris in its fuel tanks won't affect the aircraft's return.
