SEARCH FOR ELECTRICAL FLAWS ZAPS BOEING MAX JETS

Boeing Co. will need to inspect hundreds of undelivered 737 Max jets for a potential flaw in their electrical power systems, said people familiar with the matter, Julie Johnsson, Siddharth Vikram Philip, and Mary Schlangestein reported for Bloomberg News.

About 450 Max planes built since early 2019 could potentially require repairs, a total that includes about 90 aircraft in commercial operation, said the people, who asked not to be named because the matter is private. Boeing earlier Friday instructed airlines to ground dozens of recently delivered 737 Max jets to check for the manufacturing defect.

The problem renews scrutiny of the upgraded 737 model, whose success is critical to helping Boeing recover from the coronavirus pandemic after burning through $20 billion in cash last year.

While analysts expect the affected planes to be flying within a few days, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg underscored the heightened concerns around the Max after two fatal crashes prompted the longest jetliner grounding in US history.

“We need to make sure there’s full confidence before these specific aircraft return to the air,” he said at a White House briefing. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will closely monitor the situation, he said. The production flaw “could affect the operation of a backup power control unit,” the FAA said in a statement.

The agency said it’s in contact with the airlines and Boeing “and will ensure the issue is addressed.”

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