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FAA mandates checks on Boeing 787 landing gear assemblies

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FAA mandates checks on Boeing 787 landing gear assemblies
Policy
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an airworthiness directive (AD) concerning the Boeing 787's main landing gear. This follows a report indicating that a mandatory inspection was not completed during the manufacturing process of drag brace lower lock link assemblies for the aircraft's main landing gear.

Operators are now required to check maintenance records or inspect whether specific drag brace lower links were installed on their aircraft. The FAA issued this directive despite one airline suggesting that a requirement bulletin (RB) was sufficient to address the issue.

The RB, identified as Boeing Alert RB B787-81205-SB320048-00, was released on November 20, 2023. It recommends inspections within 48 months of its issuance or within 48 months after the original airworthiness certificate was issued for potentially affected aircraft. If airlines discover affected part serial numbers in their assemblies, they must replace these parts within the same timeframe.

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Before issuing this directive, the FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on August 1. Four stakeholders commented on it, including American Airlines and United Airlines. American Airlines argued that the directive was unnecessary since safety concerns were being addressed via the RB. However, the FAA disagreed with withdrawing the NPRM and stated: “Operators are not required to accomplish Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB320048-00 RB, Issue 001, dated November 20, 2023, until an AD mandates accomplishment.”

The regulator emphasized that undetected cracks could lead to fractures in the assembly, potentially causing collapse of the main landing gear and loss of directional control while on ground. This worst-case scenario could result in runway excursions and fuel tank penetration.

According to Boeing’s RB, line numbers between 6 and 1168 are affected by this bulletin. The FAA estimates that around 156 aircraft may be impacted by this directive. An inspection or records check will cost operators approximately $85 per aircraft. If replacement is necessary, it would take about 18 working hours and cost $40,649 per aircraft including parts expenses.

The effective date for this AD is December 31, 2024.

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