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FAA proposes new checks for Boeing 737 slide deployments

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FAA proposes new checks for Boeing 737 slide deployments
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Boeing 737 Next Generation | Official Website

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a proposed airworthiness directive (AD) to address the issue of uncommanded slide deployments on Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) and 737 MAX aircraft. This new proposal expands the scope of aircraft affected by a previous directive issued in May 2023 addressing similar concerns.

The initial directive focused on the escape slide assemblies of various Boeing 737 models, warning that an unsafe condition might exist on additional aircraft. The FAA noted that although a final rule was published on May 25, 2023, more aircraft, including the 737 MAX 8-200, might have the affected slide assemblies as these parts could be installed on different aircraft than originally intended.

The directive issued in May 2023 was a response to reports of uncommanded escape slide deployments due to excessive tension in the inflation cable and movement of the slide assembly. Upholding safety standards, the FAA stated, “The FAA is issuing this AD to address inflation of the escape slide while it is in the escape slide compartment, which could result in injury to passengers and crew during normal operation, or impede an emergency evacuation by rendering the exit unusable.”

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In July 2024, Boeing issued a Special Attention Requirements Bulletin regarding the emergency slide assembly, following up on previous alerts relevant to all 737 MAX models. A separate bulletin for 737 NG models was released in April 2022. Despite these industry efforts, the FAA plans to retain the May 2023 directive's requirements, calling for inspections on all 737 NG and 737 MAX planes, previously excluded from prior mandates.

In terms of the potential impact, the FAA estimates that the new directive will affect 2,666 Boeing 737 aircraft in the United States. Each inspection or maintenance record review is anticipated to take two hours, costing operators approximately $170 per aircraft at a labor rate of $85 per hour. The original directive applied to 2,502 US-registered aircraft, with an additional 164 planes to be subjected to the latest directive.

If emergency slide assemblies are found with part numbers considered unsafe, replacement could take up to one working hour, with costs potentially reaching $19,085, including parts priced at up to $19,000. The FAA has stated it cannot predict how many aircraft will require slide assembly replacements.

The FAA invites stakeholders to comment on the proposed directive until May 27. The directive aims to ensure continued safety and reliability of Boeing 737 aircraft operations.

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