Boeing temporarily grounds new 737 MAX for quality check
May 10, 2017, 12:05 PM
Boeing has temporarily grounded all 737 MAX planes for an engine check.
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The manufacturer of the engines for 737 MAX says there might be a quality-control issue, KIRO Radio’s Chris Sullivan reports. The company is grounding its fleet temporarily as it tests engines.
Boeing says it has never had problems during test flights.
“[The manufacturer] has notified us of a potential manufacturing quality escape with low-pressure turbine discs in LEAP 1B engines delivered to Boeing,” a spokesperson for Boeing said. “We are working with [the manufacturer] to inspect the discs in question.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we decided to temporarily suspend MAX flights. The step is consistent with our priority focus on safety for all who use and fly our products.”
The 737 MAX has not entered service. Boeing says first delivery is on schedule for later this month.
The MAX 8 flight test program put more than 2,000 hours on the engines, including abuse testing and flights lasting more than nine hours.
