The clowns running the Boeing 737 Max program face another quality control issue: "A possible loose bolt in the rudder control system," according to a statement released by the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday morning.
"Boeing recommended the inspections after an international operator discovered a bolt with a missing nut while performing routine maintenance on a mechanism in the rudder-control linkage. The company discovered an additional undelivered aircraft with a nut that was not properly tightened," the FAA said.
Boeing has issued a Multi-Operator Message to all airlines operating the newer single-aisle jet to inspect rudder movement for possible loose hardware.
CNBC pointed out Alaska Airlines has already begun inspecting Max jets. Each inspection takes about two hours, and the carrier plans to have all Max jets inspected by mid-January.
A spokeswoman for United Airlines said Max jets are being inspected. Both carriers, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, don't expect operational constraints due to the inspections.
Max jets have faced several issues related to different parts and systems. The most notable defect was MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System), which led to two separate crashes, killing a combined 346 people.
The latest defect, affecting 737 Max 8 aircraft, was found in August when supplier Spirit improperly drilled holes in the aft pressure bulkhead.
In September, Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West said the planmaker was on track to the "low end" of its 400-450 jet target for annual 737 deliveries. But during an earnings release in late October, the company cut its annual delivery target for 737s.
Boeing shares have yet to recover from the all-time high of $440 a share made in March 2019, or around the time the second Max jet crashed.
We need to revisit internal communications from Boeing employees that pointed out Max jets were "designed by clowns who in turn are supervised by monkeys."
