The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered that the forward bulkheads on all Boeing 787 aircraft registered in the US must be visually inspected.
This is due to the presence of small gaps in this section of the aircraft, which, as the name implies, is located aft of the fuselage, and helps keep the aircraft pressurized.
The issue, which has been caused by a manufacturing defect, has been known to the industry for years. However, until now the FAA has refrained from ordering mandatory inspections.
Boeing previously advised operators to inspect this area of the aircraft in a bulletin issued in October 2024. However, the aircraft manufacturer does not deem this issue to represent a safety hazard, and all affected aircraft have been allowed to operate normally.
The FAA’s new airworthiness directive (AD) applies to 135 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 US-registered aircraft currently in service. Describing the issue, the FAA document refers to “reports of multiple nonconformances, including excessive gaps and pull-up, found during the assembly and installation of the forward pressure bulkhead.”
The airworthiness directive also states that, if not addressed, these defects could result in undetected fatigue cracks that could potentially grow to weaken the primary structure of the aircraft and adversely affect its structural integrity.
The FAA also estimated that the cost to US operators will be $850 per aircraft, or a total of $114,500 for the whole affected fleet.
While this specific forward bulkhead issue appears to be relatively minor and straightforward to address, it adds to a list of manufacturing woes that have plagued Boeing in recent years.
In April 2024, a whistleblower put forward allegations that small gaps in the joints that fit together different sections of the B787 aircraft could endanger the future structural integrity of the airframes.
