737 max in the News again…. in many broadsheets around the world

Check for Loose nuts or missing nuts in the tail section, FAA says after being advised by Boeing after an “international operator” reports a problem. Wouldn’t be able to find more details from Boeing website if you try, except this alert does not affect older model 737 Next generation planes.

IMO, Boeing’s previous move to close their older factory line in favour of cheaper/newer/less experienced labor in newer factories in other states is getting dividends/payback

FWIW One airline in Oz plans to operate 737 max, the other does not. Didn’t want to start a inter line war between sycophants so didn’t post it on that particular airline thread

It's confusing how you say you don't want to "start a inter line war between sycophants...." by "post(ing) it on that particular airline thread." But you went ahead and posted it here anyway!? People can and do navigate around this site with ease, you know.

That's like saying, I don't want to disturb you with my loud trombone playing, so I'll stand two metres away from you when playing, instead of one metre.

This immediately makes me think of the design flaw in the original 737 rudders in the 1990s, which I think was caused by failure of a hydraulic value in the rudder controller.

Schoolboy humour.

Getting away from the childish humor... something more serious.

News media are reporting (Sat night) a report on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 going from Portland (Oregon) to Lax. At approximately 16000 ft, a hole appeared in the cabin. Fortunately the window seat adjacent wasn't occupied. The plane returned to Portland and all on board were ok. People lost mobile phones whilst trying to take videos (loss of air pressure). The BBC report claimed that most airlines use that point as an emergency exit, but Alaska doesn't. They have grounded all 65 737 max's pending safety checks. That will produce bookings/scheduling chaos!

All 737-9 Max (171 in service) must be inspected. The operator with the most of this type is United.

The only B737 max that is grounded is the -900 model none of which operate in Australia.

Poor old Boeing just can’t seem to get it right with the very tired old designed B737.

There’s just a limit to how many modifications Boeing can put on a very old design such as this.

They should have produced a new type years ago but stuck with pasting bits on an old model. A lot of the flight deck overhead control switches are still of 1970’s design!!

Great aeroplane in its day but long overdue for retirement rather than updating.

On going concerns with the bolted exit panel which occurred after this thread was started. While the news reports suggests more loose bolts were found by 2 US airlines involved 737-900, most news agencies assumed this is related to the cabin panel, although I am not certain the airlines meant that.

Interestingly there are little news about the loose bolt involving tail section rudder (which is the original warning that led me to start this thread), a casual search on 737 max rudder bolts failed to find more recent news about this part, since late Dec 2023

Again I express some concerns about QA control and inspections in Boeing assembly lines which have overseen significant change and even whistleblowers are coming out regarding worker culture