FAA to Boeing 757 Owners: Hunt Cracks in Tricky Repair Spots Now!
Published Date: 1/31/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The FAA wants to make sure certain Boeing 757 airplanes stay safe by checking for cracks found in some tricky spots during repairs. Owners of these planes will need to inspect or review records and do regular crack checks, fixing any problems found. Comments on this plan are open until March 17, 2025, and these inspections could mean some extra work and costs for operators.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Mandatory crack inspections for Boeing 757s
If you operate a Boeing Model 757-200, -200CB, or -300 airplane, the FAA proposes requiring an inspection or records check for approved or local repairs at body station (STA) 1640 (between stringers S-9 and S-19), repetitive eddy current inspections of the STA 1640 frame inner chord, web and outer chord at specified locations, and applicable on-condition actions (including contacting Boeing for repair). The required procedures are specified in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0123 RB (dated March 13, 2024) and Aviation Partners Boeing Alert Service Bulletin AP757-53-006 (dated May 7, 2024).
FAA’s estimated inspection costs (per airplane)
The FAA estimates the inspection-for-presence-of-repairs action will take 69 work-hours at $85 per hour, costing $5,865 per airplane. The FAA estimates eddy current inspections will take up to 74 work-hours at $85 per hour, costing up to $6,290 per airplane per inspection cycle, and estimates this AD would affect 481 U.S.-registered airplanes (totaling $2,821,065 for the presence inspections and up to $3,025,490 per eddy-current inspection cycle). The FAA also states it has no definitive data to estimate the cost of repairs required by the AD.
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