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DALLAS — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has raised new concerns about the anti-ice systems on Boeing 787 jets. These concerns involve potential issues with the engine anti-ice systems on both aircraft models.
Boeing recently discovered a design problem in the 737 MAX that could potentially disable the engine anti-ice system. While the likelihood of this issue occurring is remote, the FAA has decided to mandate a fix for it. This problem is separate from a previous flaw in the MAX's engine anti-ice system design that drew scrutiny in January.
Apart from the Boeing 737 MAX de-icing system issue, the FAA has also identified concerns with the engine anti-ice system on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. According to Seattle Times aerospace reporter Dominic Gates, airlines have reported a separate problem with a similar system on the 787 that has caused relatively minor damage to the engine inlets on some of these widebody jets in service.
In contrast to the problem with the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, the issue found on the 787 Dreamliner has led to real damage inflicted upon engines installed on the type.
Boeing's Safet Exception Requests
We can recall that Boeing has sought exemptions from the FAA for the 737-7 and the 787 due to certification challenges and issues related to engine anti-ice system overheating. These exemptions would allow Boeing to deliver the smaller MAX variant and address the certification requirements.
The FAA did acknowledge a potentially catastrophic flaw in this MAX's de-icing system. Still, Boeing argued that the chances of such a failure were "extremely improbable," believing that providing pilots with a warning to turn off the system in certain circumstances was enough to ensure safety.
At the time, the FAA did not consider the de-icing system problem an immediate risk to flight safety, echoing Boeing's appreciation of the issue. However, after the grounding of the Boeing 737-9s, Boeing's request for a safety exemption faced increased opposition; the FAA's oversight of the American manufacturer also faced increased scrutiny.
FAA's Previous Bulletin
Amid the Boeing 737-9 January grounding, Allied Pilots Association (APA) spokesperson Capt. Dennis Tajer said that the FAA had sent out a bulletin stating that if pilots left the engine anti-ice for more than five minutes in clear air, "the engine can come undone, the cowling could break away from the airplane," and pieces can penetrate the cabin and cause an off-airport landing.
This means that the Boeing 737 MAX has no other alert system to warn flight crews about the issue, and they are flying on aircraft that depend on the memory of two pilots who do not need to remember this on other aircraft to keep them from having such incidents happen. "Boeing is failing right now to produce a reliable, and most importantly, safe, product on a consistent basis," Tajer said.
Boeing requested the 737-7 exemption through June 2026 to give it time to develop a permanent design fix for the system. Tajer said it was unacceptable for Boeing to take two years to fix the issue. U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a pilot and chair of the Aviation Safety Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, urged the FAA to reject Boeing’s request. This brings us to today.
FAA New Actions, Proposed Rule
The FAA has taken several actions to address these concerns about the anti-ice systems on the Boeing Dreamliner. The aviation authority has proposed a rule that targets the overheating risk associated with the anti-ice system on Boeing 787s.
This rule would require airlines to inspect 787s for heat damage and replace components as needed. Boeing has already addressed this issue in memos to operators.
Regarding the 737 MAX, the FAA intends to mandate Boeing's fix for the problem with the standby power system control unit, which could render the anti-ice system inoperative. Boeing addressed this issue in a bulletin to customers in November 2022.
As a result of the growing opposition and the FAA's acknowledgment of the Boeing 737 MAX's system's flaw, there are doubts about the timing of the Boeing 737-7's entry into service, of which it has more than 4,300 orders, as well as that of the 737-10 variant.
With the FAA's proposed rule, the responsibility to inspect active Dreamliners' engine anti-ice system controllers now falls to the airlines that operate the type. As for Boeing, the FAA has just given the planemaker a 90-day deadline to develop a strategy for addressing quality issues and ensuring compliance with safety regulations when manufacturing new aircraft.
Featured image: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in house colors. Photo: Brandon Farris/Airways
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