SpiceJet confirmed that it had not found any cracks on its older Boeing 737 NG aircraft after inspection. The airline claimed that it had completed the scrutiny of all aircraft that have covered more than 30,000 flight cycles (FC). SpiceJet conducted the investigations following a directive issued by the civil aviation regulatory authority the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
DGCA ordered the inspection for cracks on Boeing 737 NG aircraft for all airlines last month following a similar move from the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The order was to check both freight and passenger planes, exclusively on heavily-used Boeing 737 planes and not the newly inducted aircraft.
According to a report by Live Mint, Boeing noticed FAA of the issue of cracks after it discovered them during modifications on heavily-used aircraft. The cracks were found in the joining areas of wings and body of a few Boeing 737 NG aircraft. “Safety and quality are our top priorities. Boeing has notified the FAA and been in contact with (B) 737NG operators about a cracking issue discovered on a small number of airplanes undergoing modifications. No in-service issues have been reported. Over the coming days, we will work closely with our customers to implement a recommended inspection plan for certain airplanes in the fleet,” a Boeing spokesperson said.
Besides SpiceJet, Vistara and Air India Express also operate Boeing 737 planes. An Air India Express official has reportedly said that Boeing 737 fleet hasn’t crossed the 26,000 Flight Cycle mark yet. Vistara, being one among the newbies, also remained safe from the DGCA order as its aircraft have not passed 17,000 flying cycles.
