American planemaker Boeing has confirmed that the latest manufacturing flaw will likely slow down deliveries of the 737 MAX. Boeing has confirmed that fastener holes on the aft pressure bulkhead on some 737 planes were improperly drilled.
Spirit AeroSystems, which manufactures the fuselage for the 737 MAX, has advised that because it “uses multiple suppliers for the aft pressure bulkhead, only some units are affected.” While Boeing will continue to deliver 737 MAX aircraft unaffected by this particular problem, the company also made it clear that: “This issue will impact near-term 737 deliveries as we conduct inspections to determine the number of airplanes affected and complete required rework on those airplanes.”
The timing of the announcement has caused major problems for Boeing as it was in the process of ramping up production to meet increased demand for the single-aisle commercial jet from 31 to 38 units per month. However, the company is yet to confirm if this setback will have a longer-term effect on its forecast to deliver between 400 and 450 units in 2023.
Spirit AeroSystems has confirmed that it will continue to deliver fuselages to Boeing. “We are working closely with our customer to address any impacted units within the production system and address any needed rework,” Spirit AeroSystems said in a statement. “Based upon what we know now, we believe there will not be a material impact to our delivery range for the year related to this issue.” This year through July, Boeing handed over 309 planes to customers, behind the 381 planes rival Airbus delivered in the same period.
