Now its the 737's turn

[SteveH]

Not as big a deal as the MD-80s though.



FAA puts older Boeing 737s under microscope



April 14, 2008

(AP) — Federal regulators on Monday ordered inspections for hundreds of Boeing jetliners over potential problems with wing de-icing systems, certain planes' main landing gear and the oxygen masks used by passengers.
None of the three airworthiness directives were deemed to pose an immediate safety hazard as the Federal Aviation Administration gave the airlines years to comply with each of them. A separate order affecting certain Airbus planes also does not mandate immediate action.

more here (http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=28983)

[oddlycalm]

Not as big a deal as the MD-80s though. You've been had Steve, and the peson that wrote it did that intentionally. Reporting that the 737 has current AD's is like reporting fish have fins. Every aircraft has dozens of AD's.

As usual the mainstream media is trying to make sausage out of sawdust and hopes nobody will notice. The key line here is "None of the three airworthiness directives were deemed to pose an immediate safety hazard as the Federal Aviation Administration gave the airlines years to comply with each of them." In other words, done as part of the routine maintenance schedule. Yet they print it with a headline that says it's anything but routine.

They know the average person doesn't know that there's a wide gaping chasm between routine AD's and Emergency AD's. There are also FAA enforcement actions such as grounding of type which happen occasionally and are certainly newsworthy.

Airworthyness Directives: Boeing 737 all types (http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAD.nsf/CurrentADFRMakeModel!OpenView&Start=74&Count=200&Expand=90.39#90.39)

The link is from an online site that lists all AD's by model, number, etc. There is a list for not only the airframes but every system on those airframes. It's a really big list...:D

The real story/scandal IMO is that current senior FAA management has tried to prevent it's own inspectors from verifying AD's have been addressed. :irked: This story has begun to come out so the rats will soon be scurrying for their holes, most probably as industry lobbyists...:\

FAA inspectors receive threats (http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-04-03-FAA_N.htm)

oc

[TravelGal]

Thanks, OC. I was thinking "old news" as I looked at the title. Cronyism is alive and well in the FAA it seems. Not good for the flying public.

The current guess is that UA or NW will be next on the gosh we should have done this ages ago list. Hang on to your hollyhocks!