Washington D.C., United States – Boeing, the troubled American aircraft manufacturer, has revealed a significant flaw in its fleet of 777 aircraft that poses a risk of onboard fires. The issue stems from inadequate electrical insulation near the fuel tank, as indicated by a proposal from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in March.
The potential consequences of this flaw include the possibility of ignition within the fuel tank, resulting in fires or explosions. The affected aircraft consists of nearly 300 Boeing 777s across the US, including various models like the 77-200, 200LR, 300, 300ER, and 777F series. In response to Boeing’s disclosure of the problem, the FAA has proposed a $14 million solution to address the issue across all 292 impacted US-registered airplanes.
The proposed solution involves the installation of electrical bonding and grounding components in the center fuel tank, as detailed in the Airworthiness Directive (AD) put forth by the FAA. The necessary repairs will entail thorough inspections, averaging about 90 hours per aircraft, followed by the installation of Teflon sleeves and cap fasteners in specific areas of the fuel tanks.
This corrective action follows a similar directive issued by the FAA in 2017, which aimed to tackle electrical issues in various Boeing 777 models. The objective is to prevent arcing within the primary and center fuel tanks, a situation that, when combined with flammable fuel vapors, could lead to explosions and potential aircraft losses. Boeing has until May 9 to respond to the US regulator’s report, with a proposed timeline of up to 60 months for completing the necessary repairs.
Boeing has expressed support for the FAA’s proposal, emphasizing that the identified issue does not pose an immediate safety-of-flight concern. Despite being an older aircraft model, the Boeing 777 remains widely utilized worldwide. Operational for nearly 30 years, the Boeing 777 fleet has transported over 3.9 billion passengers. In light of recent safety concerns surrounding Boeing’s aircraft, the company’s leaders have affirmed their commitment to collaborate with the FAA investigation.