Nutplates Used On 737s Since August '07 Lack Anti-Corrosive Coating

Boeing has announced a delay in the delivery of its 737 airliners to replace fasteners that were manufactured without a required anti-corrosive cadmium coating, and is making plans to inspect 394 of the 737s already in service with the defective parts.

Boeing spokeswoman Vicki Ray told the Associated Press the uncoated nutplates have been installed on 737s since August 2007. Used to fasten bundles of wires and other items to the inside of fuselages, each plane has thousands of them.

"We're replacing them as we find them," said Ray. "Also to be addressed is the in-service fleet, and we're still working on a plan for that," adding that the defective parts are not a risk to flight safety at present.

Spirit AeroSystems operates an assembly facility in Wichita, KS that provides fuselage and wing components for nearly every model of Boeing aircraft.  Spokesman Ken Evans said Spirit had received the fasteners from a Boeing-approved supplier, and discovered the defect in August.

"Our re-work is going very well," Evans said. "We feel pretty good about it."

As ANN previously reported, Boeing has been beset with various fastener problems of late. In September 2007, Boeing reported delays in the assembly of its 787 Dreamliners due to a shortage of aluminum and titanium fasteners made by Alcoa.

In March 2008, a Boeing 757 enroute from Orlando to Philadelphia lost a two-by-four-foot wing panel detached from the left wing when fasteners failed due to metal fatigue.

FMI: www.boeing.com