Boeing-Fertigung nahe Seattle
Foto: Lindsey Wasson / REUTERS
The US aircraft manufacturer Boeing will have to revise its targets for the fiscal year downwards once again due to recurring defects in many of its mid-range jets of the 737 Max series. Due to faulty drilling in the rear pressure bulkhead, the company is expected to deliver only about 400 aircraft of the popular 737 series this year, said Boeing CFO Brian West on Thursday at an event hosted by Jefferies, an analysis firm. Previously, Boeing had aimed to deliver up to 450 units and had actually handed over 249 units to customers by the end of July. However, around 70 percent of the aircraft in stock are affected by the defective drilling in the rear pressure bulkhead, according to the Boeing manager.
Kein Sicherheitsrisiko
The company is now noticeably slower in its deliveries. In July, they delivered 33 aircraft from the 737 series, but according to CFO West, it was only 22 in August. The manager expects around 70 aircraft for the entire third quarter. However, he reaffirmed Boeing’s goal of generating an adjusted free cash flow between three and five billion US dollars (2.8 to 4.7 billion euros) this year. Following his statements, Boeing’s stock initially lost nearly one percent in value.
Boeing announced at the end of August that its supplier, Spirit Aerosystems, improperly drilled holes in a component that is important for maintaining cabin air pressure. This rear pressure bulkhead at the end of the aircraft fuselage seals off the cabin space to the rear. According to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), this issue does not pose a safety risk to the aircraft.
Mitarbeiter müssten nun aber an den betroffenen Flugzeugen Hunderte Bohrlöcher überprüfen und instand setzen. Schon im April hatte Boeing wegen anderer Fertigungsmängel bei Spirit die Auslieferung der 737-Reihe zeitweise aussetzen müssen.