FAA requires inspections of 787 for cracking in structural joints

The FAA is requiring US airlines to inspect Boeing 787s for potential cracking of some structural joints. The agency proposed the inspections in May and has now finalised them in two airworthiness directives made public on 3 December. The orders were “prompted by reports that shimming requirements were not met during the assembly of certain structural joints, which can result in reduced fatigue thresholds” and cracking of some structural joints, the documents say. “Fatigue cracking… could weaken primary structure so it cannot sustain limit load,” they add. One AD requires airlines to inspect “for cracking of certain areas of the aft wheel well bulkhead body chord and… side-fitting and fail-safe straps, and repair of any cracking found”. The other “requires repetitive inspections for cracking of certain areas of the front spar pickle fork and front spar outer chord, and repair”. The Chicago airframer says it “has determined that these are not immediate safety-of-flight issues”.<br/>