Inspections Required for Boeing 767 Corrosion
The Federal Aviation Administration has advised operators to examine plane for corrosion harm on communications elements.
By Caleb Revill
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a brand new airworthiness directive (AD) for sure Boeing 767 mannequin plane to deal with corrosion harm on satellite tv for pc communications (SATCOM) elements.
A Delta 767-400 (Photograph: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
The AD, published by the FAA on Tuesday, requires repetitive detailed inspections of the SATCOM excessive acquire antenna adapter plate for corrosion harm on Boeing 767-200, 767-300, 767-300F and 767-400ER airplanes.
The FAA acknowledged it had obtained a report exhibiting corrosion harm was discovered on a 767’s excessive acquire antenna adapter plate throughout a heavy upkeep test by an unnamed operator.
Essentially the most extreme corrosion was discovered on the nutplates across the edges of the adapter plate, that are used to lock the antenna meeting to the adapter plate.
“Corrosion was additionally discovered on the adapter plate mounting lugs and the realm across the bonding strap which can be related between the adapter plate and the airplane pores and skin,” the AD acknowledged. “Contributing components that result in a rise in threat of a elements departing airplane (PDA) occasion embody a scarcity of upkeep inspections and restore procedures, and a scarcity of nutplate or nutplate recess corrosion safety.”
The FAA acknowledged {that a} PDA occasion involving the elements affected might harm the surfaces of main flight management flaps and rudders, which might jeopardize security whereas in flight and through touchdown.
The FAA estimated that this AD would have an effect on 597 airplanes registered within the U.S., costing U.S. operators $558,195 per inspection cycle.
If adapter plate repairs are wanted, the FAA estimated this may price $425 in labor. The company estimated that changing the adapter plate would price $18,170.
These directions got here the identical day that the FAA issued another AD mandating inspections for touchdown gear on Boeing 717 plane to deal with a 2023 gear collapse incident.
AirlineGeeks.com was based in February 2013 as a one-person weblog in Washington D.C. Since then, we’ve grown to have 25+ energetic group members scattered throughout the globe. We’re all right here for a similar purpose: we love deep-diving into the fascinating realm of the airline business.
Subscribe to AirlineGeeks’ Each day Examine-In
Obtain a every day dose of the airline business’s high tales together with market insights proper in your inbox.