The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered all US Boeing 747 operators to carry out urgent inspections of lightning protection systems on the aircraft.
The US FAA yesterday issued an airworthiness directive ordering all 747 operators to carry out the inspections due to early degradation of the lightning protection safety system.
Boeing has also issued a multi-operator message on November 13 recommending that the inspection work is completed.
The FAA directive gives freighter operators 120 days to comply, while operators of passenger 747s have 90 days.
Freight forwarders have expressed concern that the inspections and any corrective work may disrupt operations.
One forwarder contact had been told that each aircraft would be out of service for four to five days while the inspections and work is carried out, while Boeing said the process would take two or three days.
“Boeing supports the US Federal Aviation Administration’s Immediately Adopted Rule, which makes mandatory the guidance we have provided to operators. We remain in communication with the FAA and our customers on this matter,” the airframe said.
Air Cargo News has contacted several large 747 operators to find out how they plan to manage the inspections and any remedial work and keep supply chain disruption to a minimum.
Air Cargo News sister title FlightGlobal said that Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings and its affiliates operate 56 747s, more than any other US carrier.
Other US airlines with sizeable 747 fleets include UPS (41 of the type), Kalitta Air (24) and National Airlines (eight), according to Cirium data. Airlines globally have 495 747s in service or storage.
The FAA directive was issued after Boeing found that lightning protection components were degrading faster than expected.
"Boeing has recently discovered that the bonding jumper outside the fuel tank is failing at an excessive rate in addition to the known degradation of the primary electrical bonding path through the spar fitting," the FAA directive reads.
"Furthermore, Boeing has reported finding a complete crack around the circumference of the fuel feed fitting encapsulation inside a fuel tank of a Model 747–8 series airplane.
"This encapsulation is designed to isolate any sparks/arcing generated during a lightning strike because of failed electrical bonds from flammable fuel vapors in the tank.
"This is an urgent safety issue, as all fuel feed lightning protection features now have evidence of compromise. The FAA has determined that all Model 747 airplanes are affected by the unsafe condition."
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