The planes' engines threw off too much smoke after bird strikes
Boeing $BA’s (BA) long, difficult year kicked off with a 737 Max door plug blowout, and now a new part is drawing scrutiny from federal investigators. Reuters reports that the Federal Aviation Administration is looking into problems with the planes’ engines after a pair of bird strikes last year aboard a pair of Southwest Airlines (LUV) flights.
During the incidents in question, pilots reported that smoke from the engines filled up the inside of the planes when birds flew into their turbines and caused oil leaks. The Seattle Times, which first reported the review, said that the FAA is considering echoing a previous Boeing warning to pilots to divert the air in case such incidents happened again. (Engine airflow is often used in commercial airliners to help regulate internal air pressure and temperature.)
“The FAA is addressing the CFM LEAP-1B engine issue through our standard continued operational safety process, which includes close collaboration with Boeing, CFM, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA),” the agency said in a statement to Quartz. “We will convene a Corrective Action Review Board in the coming weeks to examine the data and develop a path forward. The FAA determined this is not an immediate flight-safety issue.”
CFM International, which is the supplier of the engines in question, is a joint venture between France’s Safran and GE Aerospace (GE). Boeing is not the only plane manufacturer dealing with engine headaches. Airbus has been struggling to keep its production numbers up because it has been frequently encountering parts problems with its Pratt & Whitney (RTX) engines.
“We are working with the authorities that are investigating these incidents,” Boeing said in a statement provided to Quartz. “We continue to follow regulatory processes to properly address potential issues and ensure the continued safety of the global fleet.”
An added wrinkle to Boeing’s issue is that the investigation could further delay certification of its 737 Max 7 and 10 models, which carriers like Southwest (ironically enough) have been clamoring for. Southwest confirmed that it is also cooperating with the inquiry.
“Southwest Airlines is in close contact with the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing, as well as the engine manufacturer,” the company said in a statement provided to Quartz. “Southwest notified its Flight Crews about the effects of certain bird strikes following two events that occurred in 2023. As part of that effort, Southwest reiterated the importance of following established Safety procedures that are part of the company’s recurrent Pilot training.”
“The airline continues to address this issue through its robust Safety Management System while working with the manufacturers and Safety regulators to identify a permanent solution.
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