I would like Google Flights to be able to filter for aircraft equipment manufacturer.
United finds loose bolts on plug doors during 737 Max 9 inspections
601–610 of 773 posts
Re: United finds loose bolts on plug doors during 737 Max 9 inspections
#602I found it interesting that Boeing did proactively tell airlines to inspect 737 MAXs for a possible loose bolt in a different part of the plane (rudder section) at least 8 days before the January 5th event. Example story: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-ur... Unfortunately, Boeing did not know they had other issues with the plug door bolts.
That’s “testing in production”, but beast-sized.
Re: United finds loose bolts on plug doors during 737 Max 9 inspections
#603I was responsible for safe for flight inspections on military aircraft and the photo included in that post is completely insane to me. Those bolts being loose (and they are BIG bolts) would mean multiple people in the installation process didn’t do their jobs, and signed their life on the line saying they did. When I did maintenance, there was someone (QA) there to witness every torqued bolt, inspect every safety wir…
The management imported from McDonnel-Douglas? The same management that drove it to ground? The fish rots from the head. And these constant problems sure do sound like a new company culture of cutting corners instead engineering first.
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Re: United finds loose bolts on plug doors during 737 Max 9 inspections
#604Earlier quoted context omitted.
Aircraft are often sold between airlines, or reconfigured even with the same airline. If United ever wants to reconfigure their 737s to be higher density (which is pretty common), they might need to start using that door as a real emergency exit.
Yes I see, that makes good sense. Given the course of events, it's still a fair question from a design standpoint: Can this be engineered with a reversible option to switch it from functional to non-functional, depending on the seat configuration? It just seems like a lot of complexity and moving parts, for a feature that's not in use.
Yes, there are two options for that space if you don't need a door there, one which fits most of the door mechanism (bolted shut) and hides it behind a solid wall, and an option that fits a plug with a normal sized window[1], which needs more effort to convert to a working door. Alaska choose the latter.
[1] This can still be swung out for inspection / maintenance, but has no normal latching mechanism, and should be bolted in place.
Re: United finds loose bolts on plug doors during 737 Max 9 inspections
#605Earlier quoted context omitted.
The management imported from McDonnel-Douglas? The same management that drove it to ground? The fish rots from the head. And these constant problems sure do sound like a new company culture of cutting corners instead engineering first.
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You can prop up a bad system for many years by having a lot of workers still around from the old system. It takes time to fully drive a company as good as Boeing into the ground.
Managers think they are the reason anything happens, but fortunately in this case this is a delusion. In places where a great manager tries to turn a business around that is broken that's a bad thing.
Re: United finds loose bolts on plug doors during 737 Max 9 inspections
#606Earlier quoted context omitted.
The "MAX" in 737 MAX means "maximum profit", not "maximum safety".
You're joking but it's the real meaning conveyed to their customers, the airliners.
Yeah, that's why the leading low-fare airlines (Southwest, Ryanair) love it - so it's up to the customers to say that they no longer want to fly with an over 50 year old design that was initially a regional airplane but is now being used for transatlantic flights.
Re: United finds loose bolts on plug doors during 737 Max 9 inspections
#607I was responsible for safe for flight inspections on military aircraft and the photo included in that post is completely insane to me. Those bolts being loose (and they are BIG bolts) would mean multiple people in the installation process didn’t do their jobs, and signed their life on the line saying they did. When I did maintenance, there was someone (QA) there to witness every torqued bolt, inspect every safety wir…
Bolts can get unscrewed with vibrations. So probably a design error, they did not use the correct type of bolt (the one with the safety pin).
Don't they have many ways to prevent bolts from unscrewing? I know at least a few by doing mechanical stuff on motorcycles, and it seems that other planes don't have such problems (at least not within 2 months after the last inspection).
Re: United finds loose bolts on plug doors during 737 Max 9 inspections
#608Earlier quoted context omitted.
Surely you've heard of reliability bath-tub curve.
Uh, first part of the bath tub curve is driven by manufacturing defects... That's not a counter point at all.
That curve applies to design issues as well, they are more likely to be found in the very beginning (teething problems) as well.
Re: United finds loose bolts on plug doors during 737 Max 9 inspections
#609Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a complex topic. Depending on the design, lubrication may be required or forbidden. And if it's required, it should normally be on the threads only, under the head is usually forbidden. And it's very important to understand that in most mechanical design with fasteners, the fasteners provide tension, and friction between 2 faces actually carries the load. Too little tension then fasteners can be sheared off. Too…
Ive been working on cars and motorcycles and everything else other than airplanes for almost 25 years now, from motor swaps to transmission rebuild and custom suspension. The only time I ever use is a torque wrench is on engine internals, or smaller fancy areas into aluminum. Everything else, over the years, you learn by feel. You pay attention to the size of the bolt, the material it's going into, and it's overall j…
At the Costco where I get my car's tires swapped out (summer/winter tire swap) or rotated, the technician always tightens all the wheel nuts with a torque wrench.
Then another, different technician comes by and checks all the nuts again with his own torque wrench.
When all is done and I get the sign off paperwork, they strongly encourage me to stop by next time I'm there so they can quickly check the wheel nuts again with a torque wrench.
So please, don't "do it by feel". That's how you Boeing. I know I would never patronize your shop again if I saw you being so callous.
A true craftsman double and triple checks his work objectively with other craftsmen, not be proud he can do it blindfolded with one arm behind his back.
Re: United finds loose bolts on plug doors during 737 Max 9 inspections
#610Earlier quoted context omitted.
The management imported from McDonnel-Douglas? The same management that drove it to ground? The fish rots from the head. And these constant problems sure do sound like a new company culture of cutting corners instead engineering first.
Looks like the installer did their job poorly and the QA rubber stamped it without checking. Are the QAs required to make photos to prove that they did their job? Like those food delivery people. Alternative is wrong bolts, or sabotage. But more possible - one lazy QA ghosting.
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