The FAA reportedly won’t let United Airlines grow. They’re taking an active presence at the airline. Reportedly no new planes can enter commercial service, pilots can’t get certified, and new routes can’t be announced.
There have been a number of recent incidents, but there are incidents in aviation all the time and systems are very good and redundant and nobody has been hurt. It may seem scary to the layperson, but most observers have felt like it’s the Summer of the Shark where media coverage focuses on a normal phenomenon and it seems like it’s happening more.
A veteran Boeing 737 mechanic, though, explains what the concern seems to be that prompted this unprecedented action by the FAA, via Enilria.
Apart from half a dozen recent incidents, on March 15th a United flight from San Francisco to Medford, Oregon lost a panel off of the aircraft. The flight was uneventful, before landing and taxiing in Medford. After the flight, the aircraft was missing a panel of the left hand wing root fairing next to the main landing gear.
So here’s what the mechanic thinks happened, and if he’s correct then it’s clear why this would raise real flags at the FAA:
I am a licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer specializing in composites from Scandinavia. I’ve been in this industry for 10 years I’ve worked on hundreds of 737s…Needless to say I’m extremely familiar with this aircraft.
I’ve repaired the exact panel dozens of times. And this happens naturally in other aircraft as well. The fairing that seemingly exploded mid-flight is one of many 737 wing fuselage panels that suffer from elongated holes due to excessive vibration, the steel countersunk screws are fastened to the far softer fiberglass emanate, which in time will vibrate and expand the holes to the point where the panel will simply not be attached anymore.
Once the whole elongation starts, the screws which are fastened to the floating nut plates will start to erode the original hole diameter. From what I can gather from the photo in the article an excessive amount of the fasteners were simply installed, but not holding the panel in place. At a certain point during the flight the airflow would have lifted an edge and the panel would have become shredded at the fiberglass and Nomex Honeycomb core.
I could go on further about this particular accident but it simply comes down to piss poor maintenance by United. Anyone with a set of eyes can see elongated holes on panels. The visual cues are impossible to miss. Usually black streaks from the fastener holes follow the airstream hope this brings you some insight.
This wasn’t a Boeing production issue. It’s not a new aircraft. It was a 26 year old plane originally delivered to Continental Airlines in 1998.
With everyone on alert, incidents are getting extra scrutiny. And this one may have generated concerns about maintenance processes, procedures and checks that the agency wants to make sure aren’t going to be repeated.
to be clear, he is making judgments based on pictures from a distance.
He may be right but the FAA is seeing things live and up close.
What is clear – and was from the earliest days of these incidents – is that there are pilot and maintenance issues involved. Having two major safety-related sets of issues going on at the same time is very difficult to fix.
There seem to be a growing chorus of “you don’t know what you are talking about” with “this is no big deal and other carriers have had these problems” alongside “United is in deep 89wr” and the truth is undoubtedly somewhere in between.
What is not debatable is that UA tried to aggressively grow at a far faster rate than any other airline ever has and that alone undoubtedly produced enormous stress on UA’s systems. compound that with a hypercompetitive mindset from the C Suite and UA might be reaping exactly what it sowed without realizing it.
@ Tim
What are the 2 major safety related issues you are referring to ?
“to be clear, he is making judgments based on pictures from a distance”
Thank you for that invaluable insight. We would never be able to figure it out for ourselves without your incredible wisdom.
From Aviation Herald. Just the last 2 weeks to make it short.
Delta A359 at Los Angeles on Mar 10th 2024, possible flight control issue
American A21N at Phoenix on Mar 12th 2024, rejected takeoff due to engine problem
American B738 at Boston on Mar 15th 2024, flaps problem
American A319 at Boston on Mar 20th 2024, engine compressor stall
Delta B739 at Aruba on Mar 19th 2024, engine problem
Southwest B738 at San Jose Cabo on Mar 18th 2024, engine failure
American B738 at Dallas on Feb 10th 2024, overran runway on landing
Southwest B738 at Fort Lauderdale on Mar 22nd 2024, engine shut down in flight
You should know better.
Who knew Medford was getting 738 service these days
The whole ‘built from scratch’ Aviate school in Arizona seemed a little ambitious for an airline
Now, one thing is concerning, yes.
The airlines and the manufacturers, all of them, lost a lot of experienced workers because of the Covid crisis. That is something that takes years to fix.
The mechanic makes a very valid point, if United was properly inspecting its fleet, wear and tear items would be identified long before they fall off. The FFA clamp down would be warranted to determine why these deficiencies exist. Is it a case of United saving money on labor only to pay it back 100x due to issues?
Marco,
thankfully, the FAA has the full list of UAL incidents over the past year – and it is clear that UAL has hade more incidents than any other airline – by a long shot.
None of which changes that the FAA has launched a certification review of United, not American, not Delta and not anyone else.
Denial is not a river in Egypt.
United has had a rash of incidents that point to BOTH pilot and maintenance issues. Pilots have nothing to do with parts falling off of planes and mechanics don’t have anything to do with hard landings, tail scrapes, and high speed taxis that end up in the grass.
@ Tim Dunne
Wrong again, you clearly have zero idea how a CMO office runs , nor do you understand the power of an individual POI at an airline.
As I always say you play an expert on these blogs but you are not one really.
I have been around know it alls like you my aviation career, it is embarrassing when people like you get called out in a public setting.
Well Tim, it seems that we now have an official statement from the FAA.
“Due to recent safety events, the FAA is increasing oversight of United Airlines to ensure that it is complying with safety regulations; identifying hazards and mitigating risk; and effectively managing safety,” an FAA spokesperson said in a statement. “Certification activities in process may be allowed to continue, but future projects may be delayed based on findings from oversight.”
Again, just to make sure: “future projects MAY be delayed based on FINDINGS from oversight”
So Tim, first the findings of the oversight, and then depending on the findings, a decision about future projects, right?
Do you see anything in the statement about banning UA new routes or not letting them fly new aircraft? No, right? So all your rant was based on rumors, right?
@Marco,
Stop. You are not allowed to criticize Timmy. After all, he brings soooo much to these pages.
let Bloomberg, the Wall St. Journal and UAL MCO LEC know they are all wrong.
And I have never said that “I” know any of the information to be true.
it is clear that the United denial squad is in full action on a Saturday night.
Once again, no other airline is under the microscope like UA is right now. Any of us that even remotely objectively saw what has happened at United over the past year know that the rate of incidents at UA is well above average and the types of incidents are markedly different than at other airlines.
Denial is not a river in Egypt.
I wonder if United has cut back on inspection and/or the inspectors are no longer properly trained.
@Tim Dunne
So what is the average rate at UAL, since you brought it up like you know.
Next what is it at AA, SW and DAL ?
You must know you say UAs is above there rate.
What rate are we talking about ?
NTSB reportable ? Want to just start there ?
You are a blow hard who knows just enough to be dangerous.
You have clearly never been in the real position to make the calls at an airline.
I am guessing you were a project manager in some area of aviation, let me know if I was close, you guys are a dime a dozen.
once again, the FAA is doing a certificate evaluation of United and no other airline.
The blow hard are those including yourself that had hoped this would all be swept under the rug
btw, this will be in the first block of news on all of the broadcast and cable news channels Monday and throughout the week.
You best hope that United has no more incidents in the next week – at least.
Of course, things like this can NEVER happen at Delta – the word’d only PERFECT airline.
The crux of the matter is that all the experienced mechanics have retired,
PERIOD
I’ve started picking up your articles in my new feed on Flipboard. There aren’t many things I consistently follow that I would qualify as valuable, interesting, and quality reporting. Thanks for what you’re putting out there. I love what you’re doing and how you do it.
@30west
Wow such animosity.
I have been fact checking what @timdunn has been saying and he seems to be on the money.
You sound like a person who has been hurt by someone and threatened your position. If you are a professional in this area, I didn’t hear respectful questioning of the situation. I would have to question your knowledge on the subject.
first, Delta is not perfect.
second, there is never the assumption that safety issues can’t happen to you.
third, the FAA has UA in its crosshairs right now. Considering how much UA was convinced that they would steamroll half of the industry, this is a setback no matter how much spin any one wants to put on this all.
Why are people so worried about these planes? They avoid them & probhave an accident in the car, we have to live normal lives u can’t go around being scared, I have read of people that left Christchurch because of the earthquakes only to get into food problems
Is the United 787 Dreamliner a safe plane? I’m on a nonstop for 9-1/2 hours over water this coming week.
Thoughts anyone?
So the FAA may be preventing United from growing as fast as they want, while other airlines are not subject to the same review…
… Perhaps because they’re not growing so it’s not an issue for them?
The industry of aviation in the USA operates like big business. The customer is just a number that provides the profit you are addicted to and all the actual workers are the open faucets just draining that profit out of the pockets of those with 3 digit letters after their names like “CEO”. Another point is aviation mechanics needed to have a license by the FAA to work on aircraft and to sign for the work, but before you got that license you were required to go to formal training for so many hours, show you know your skill and be verbally tested by an Inspector from the FAA and pass all 3 requirements before receiving the license. But due to pressure by the industry on the government and to a certain party that is helpful to big business and their profits, not anymore anyone can do the work, it can even be done out of the country by those who will never be able to afford to fly and can not speak English (the official language of word of Aviation). Not a pretty picture, but it is the world we live in today, we all want to be paid more and pay less. This stuff being unfortunate is not only going to continue but it will get worse until all of us smarten up.
The ten year mechanic startled me since 737’s use titanium fasteners. Steel fasteners can be magnetic-these fasteners are lighter, harder. Maybe he should do a few more of these panels until he figures it out.
@Tim Dunn … Denial IS a river in Egypt . I visited there , and I Deny I will ever re-visit .
whatever you deny or don’t deny, UA has a safety problem; no other airline is having the same rate or type of problems.
The FAA was criticized for being too lax with Boeing; anyone that thought they would look away from what was happening w/ other areas they are responsible for – including airlines – was beyond naive.
UA simply set itself up for an erosion of safety that caught the FAA’s eye through aggressive and hypercompetitive growth and an attempt to fix in 2 years everything that was strategically wrong w/ UA after decades of mismanagement.
@Tim Dunn … +1 . Also , the government cannot do everything for everyone … there Must be self-respect , on the part of each employee , to do the job correctly . Including the CEO and the Boards of airlines And manufacturers . In that sense , Delta , JAL , ANA , do seem to have a handle on it .
@Tim Dunn. +2. Thx for the information and analysis you’re posting here. I can’t believe the pushback you’re getting for the valid concerns that you (and, far more importantly, the FAA) are raising.
Why are your articles always containing misspellings are incomplete typos.
Second paragraph this article. Do you not spellcheck?
When you hire WOKE not the most competent you see the results
Valid points regarding retirements etc. Whether Covid related or simply having had enough of the fumbling, bumbling management at the carriers is immaterial. The replacement of this talent should be the overriding major concern. Too many companies like Boeing and their airline customer’s executive group are hell bent on one upping the other guy in implementing discriminatory DEI. UAL’s much ballyhooed pilot selection/hiring criterion raises all sorts of red flags. These are being forced down at all levels of these organizations and will result in questionably qualified individuals filling critical safety related jobs. That’s the number one thing the traveling public needs to focus on.
I was on a UA flight LHR IAD, in Oct end 2023. After liftoff the 767 pilot realized we had a stuck flap that slowed the aircraft considerably. After trying the captain realized that crossing the Atlantic was risky. About 0.5 hr post liftoff we returned to LHR. Now this was the last of the UA exLHR-USS flights. Lucky for us a second 767 was available as a replacement. We reached IAD 5 hrs late.
Every one of the recent issues point to poor maintenance, which also points to poor inspection of the maintenance, which points to poor management. The FAA and the public has a freight to be concerned.
If they’re going to go after United, they should also go after every other airline that has had to contend with the same issues. Delta planes have lost wheels, hydraulics and had engine trouble, American, Southwest, and for God’s sake Alaska with the hole in the plane. Stop deliveries and all expansion for the whole industry. That’ll fix it. Where do you think the FAA is going to find all these people who know how to inspect airlines? Are they overflowing with staff, and can they just turn on a dime? Where will this talented pool of people come from, as if by magic? Sounds fancy to stop everything, but try to back it up with what that would look like logistically. Great way to kill an economy is by going on wild goose chases with blanket decrees.
Tim I can tell you don´t like UA at all. That’s fine, but before accusing an airline of being unsafe, you should wait for the findings of the oversight. You don’t have enough information to really know what’s going on.
As to the rumors about no flying new aircraft and no new routes, three facts are saying the rumors are not true.
First, the rumor of no flying new aircraft doesn’t make any sense if you believe there’s a maintenance problem at UA. New aircraft is the best solution for maintenance problems.
Second, the official statement from the FAA is clear that any decision will be made after the oversight, not now.
Third, the information coming from UA talks about the oversight and the temporary suspension of some certification activities. They don’t say anything about no flying new aircraft or new routes.
Chill out.
marco,
I don’t like or dislike any company; they are not people.
I have said repeatedly that UA execs’ incessant fixation with themselves and comparing themselves to other airlines including thinking they can “take out” low cost and ultra low cost competitors is unhealthy
I have also said that UA’s growth rate both current and projected future was excessive and would be damaging to the company.
They have stumbled because high growth rates are very hard to do and they clearly have not done it well.
The whole suggestion that the FAA was imposing restrictions came from jonnyc which Gary quoted. UA’s MCO ALPA LEC repeated it.
The nuance is that the FAA has SUGGESTED those restrictions as possible.
Either way, none of those restrictions have been done to other airlines.
UA has a problem and they need to fix it – which means their growth rate will not be what they were hoping. UA believed it could gain significant competitive advantages by growing faster than the industry.
It is likely that they will have to grow at the rate of the industry and not much faster.
And UA execs would do well to dial back their egos and belief about their ability to change the industry. They need to simply run a clean operation right now and the FAA seems determined they will require UA to do that.
Growth can and will wait. and it will never be at the pace UA thought.
@ Tim Dunne
Like I said you were wrong, Gary was wrong and JonNYC and the low level single ALPA rep in MCO was wrong.
Just because you think you know better how to run one of the biggest businesses in the world an airline, doesn’t make it so. If you were a successful business person you would not have time to be on here.
Here is part of the official response from ALPA
Some members of the FAA, United, and ALPA published information before verifying its credibility and factual basis. Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): The FAA has yet to issue final guidance over the weekend. The FAA issued the following:
Due to recent safety events, the FAA is increasing oversight of United Airlines to ensure that it is complying with safety regulations; identifying hazards and mitigating risk; and effectively managing safety. Certification activities in process may be allowed to continue, but future projects may be delayed based on findings from oversight. The FAA will also initiate an evaluation of United Airlines under the provisions of the Certificate Holder Evaluation Program.
United will undergo something similar to a “Line Check.” The FAA calls this ‘Line-Check’ a Certificate Holder and Evaluation Program or CHEP audit. You can read more about the CHEP at this link here. Every airline goes through a CHEP audit every several years. United’s last CHEP audit was in 2018. A CHEP is a normal, defined, and established process to audit the safety programs of certificate holders. ALPA and the Company share a similar opinion in the benefit of this added scrutiny from the FAA. This is an opportunity to identify the opportunities for improvement within our operation, identify changes to mitigate operational risk, and poise our airline for success by managing those changes effectively.
We all know you love Delta but as I always say you know just enough to be dangerous but you are not an aviation expert and never will be. I work with them and you parrot false information and always tie it back to how DAL is superior in everything which undermines any credibility you might have. DAL is a very good airline but not the best at everything.
Have a great week I know this will have zero affect on you personally but others read this and that is why I point out your errors.
Aviation Herald:
Friday: Southwest B738 at Fort Lauderdale on Mar 22nd 2024, engine shut down in flight
Sunday: Delta A339 at Salt Lake City on Mar 24th 2024, dropped engine panel on departure
Not everyday, but every 2 days!! Like one on Friday and another one on Sunday.
Every air carrier on the planet has had issues,
I think the FAA has to go after these companies that are selling parts to airlines as new parts half are probably remanufactured. I work 28 years for United in Boston. All I can say is they have the best mechanics and shit happens all the time we don’t live in a perfect world.