Boeing 737 Max Defect to Delay Deliveries

Boeing has recently identified a new 737 MAX supplier quality problem involving improperly drilled holes on the aft pressure bulkhead, the company said on Wednesday.

Boeing said the new problem could delay near-term deliveries and is evaluating whether it could cause it to miss its annual delivery target of at least 400 737s this year.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was aware of the issue, which does not affect safety of flight.

Trade publication The Air Current, which first reported on the production flaw, said Spirit AeroSystems was responsible for the misdrilled holes. Spirit did not provide an immediate comment.

The defect is limited to Boeing’s bestselling MAX 8 model, and it is unclear how many jets will need to be fixed or how long rework will ultimately take, Boeing said.

“We continue to deliver 737s that are not affected,” Boeing said.