FAA finalizes inspection directive on Boeing 737 MAX planes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday finalized a directive requiring airlines to complete inspections on a key component that could make Boeing 737 MAX airplanes vulnerable to interference from high-power radio frequency transmitters before returning to service.

Boeing Co in December issued a service bulletin that disclosed procedures for detailed inspections and repairs or replacement if needed for panels on top of the engine housing that may not ensure adequate shielding of the underlying wiring. The FAA proposed an airworthiness directive in February to mandate inspections. The 737 MAX, Boeing’s best-selling plane, has been grounded since March 2019 after crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)