Crisis-hit Boeing says up to 50 planes grounded globally over cracks in 737 NG, precursor to troubled 737 MAX
- Qantas the latest airline to take one of the planes out of the air, will inspect 32 others
- Problem reported with plane’s ‘pickle fork’ – a part which helps bind the wing to the fuselage
Crisis-hit Boeing faced fresh safety concerns Thursday, as the firm admitted cracks were found in up to 50 of its popular 737 NG planes following worldwide inspections.
Boeing had previously reported a problem with the model’s “pickle fork” – a part which helps bind the wing to the fuselage – prompting US regulators to order immediate inspections of aircraft that had seen heavy use.
A company spokesperson said that so far around 1,000 planes worldwide had “reached the inspection threshold”, with less than five per cent – or up to 50 jets globally – having “findings” that kept them grounded until repair.
Australian flag carrier Qantas said it had grounded one Boeing 737 NG due to a structural crack, and was urgently inspecting 32 others for the flaw.
Southwest Airlines in the United States has pulled three jets from service for pickle fork repairs, according, according to Reuters.
