New York, June 23 (DPA) Boeing has said it will recommend more frequent inspections of its long-range 767 aircraft after American Airlines found cracks in the pylons holding the engines onto the wings on two airplanes.
Boeing was working with American Airlines to resolve the problems and in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the issue, the aircraft manufacturer said Tuesday in response to a query.
Boeing cannot force any airlines to inspect their aircraft more often. But recommendations from manufacturers generally are adopted into airline guidelines.
Newly suggested guidelines for airlines will cover more than 900 767-aircraft now in service worldwide, Boeing spokesman Peter Conte told Bloomberg financial news agency.
The cracks were discovered by American’s mechanics as they were performing unrelated work. They found cracks on one jet fewer than 500 flights after its last inspection, Lynn Lunsford, an FAA spokesman, told Bloomberg. Current guidelines call for inspections after 1,500 cycles of takeoff and landing.
