SEATTLE- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandates inspections on 119 Boeing 787 Dreamliners operated by US airlines, including American Airlines (AA), due to potential faulty oxygen masks that may fail during cabin depressurization at airports like Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW).
This rule targets kinked oxygen supply tubing in specific masks, posing a safety risk to passengers.
Photo: Clément AlloingFAA Orders 119 Boeing 787 Inspections
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will issue a final rule requiring inspections on 119 Boeing 787 Dreamliners operated by US carriers, such as American Airlines (AA).
According to PYOK, the directive addresses kinked oxygen supply tubing in passenger oxygen masks, which could prevent proper oxygen flow during cabin depressurization.
This issue, identified in masks located in center seats, affects only a small number of units but creates an unsafe condition that risks passenger injury.
The FAA consulted stakeholders, including Boeing and affected airlines, for comments and suggestions on addressing the problem.
American Airlines (AA) requested a 48 month compliance period, double the FAA’s initial 24-month proposal, to align with maintenance schedules.
The FAA rejected this but extended the timeline to 36 months, allowing airlines to conduct inspections and repairs without grounding aircraft outside routine maintenance.
Engineers expressed concerns that the FAA’s original repair plan, which involved fixing kinked tubing, was technically challenging.
In response, the FAA approved a simpler solution: airlines can remove and replace entire oxygen panels in affected units with new ones. This approach reduces complexity and ensures compliance.
The FAA estimates the total cost for US airlines to inspect and repair the 119 aircraft at $252,875, making this a relatively low-cost airworthiness directive.
Photo: Collins AerospaceBoeing 787 Safety Concerns
In August 2024, the FAA issued another urgent airworthiness directive for Boeing 787s following a LATAM Airlines (LA) flight incident from Sydney (SYD) to Auckland (AKL). A faulty rocker switch on the captain’s seat caused an inadvertent nosedive, injuring over 50 passengers.
The issue occurred when a flight attendant, delivering meals to the cockpit, accidentally leaned on a damaged switch cover at the back of the captain’s seat, which controls forward and backward movement.
The cover jammed the switch, moving the seat and pinning the captain against the control console, causing the aircraft to pitch downward dramatically.
Investigators linked this incident to several other “inadvertent pilot seat movement” cases across Boeing 787 fleets.
Due to the urgency, the FAA bypassed the comment period and ordered immediate inspections of all rocker switches on U.S.-operated Boeing 787s, requiring replacements for any showing damage. This swift action addressed a critical safety flaw not isolated to the LATAM (LA) aircraft.
Photo: Cado PhotoOperational Impact on US Airlines
The 36-month compliance window for the oxygen mask inspections allows US airlines to integrate checks into routine maintenance, minimizing disruptions at major hubs like Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW).
The low number of affected masks and the streamlined panel replacement process ensure quick fixes at minimal cost.
For the pilot seat switch directive, immediate compliance has already bolstered cockpit safety, preventing potential repeats of the LATAM incident.
These directives reflect the FAA’s proactive oversight to maintain safety standards amid ongoing scrutiny of Boeing 787 reliability, ensuring passenger and crew safety across US operations.
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