Boeing 777 Wings Get FAA Crackdown: Inspect by April
Published Date: 3/19/2025
Rule
Summary
The FAA is making sure all Boeing 777 airplanes get regular wing checks after finding a crack on one plane’s wing. Starting April 23, 2025, owners must inspect the upper wing skin often and fix any cracks to keep flights safe. This rule affects all 777-200, -300, and 777F models and might cost some repair time and money but keeps everyone flying worry-free.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Required open-hole HFEC inspections for certain fasteners
For specific 777 groups the AD replaces some ultrasonic (UT) inspections with open hole high-frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections: Model 777-300 (fasteners 11 and 12), 777-300ER, 777-200LR, and 777F (fasteners 6 and 7). These open hole HFEC inspections are required as specified in paragraphs (h)(4)–(h)(7) of the AD.
Estimated inspection cost per airplane and U.S. fleet
The FAA estimates each inspection cycle will take 40 work-hours at $85/hour ($3,400) plus parts costing $1,480, for a total of $4,880 per airplane per inspection cycle. The rule affects 323 U.S.-registered airplanes, with an estimated cost to U.S. operators of $1,576,240 per inspection cycle; on-condition repair costs are not estimated and may be covered by warranty.
Mandatory wing-skin inspections for 777s
Starting April 23, 2025, all Boeing Model 777-200, -200LR, -300, -300ER, and 777F airplanes must have repetitive inspections of the upper wing skin and any cracks must be repaired before further flight to address a reported 5-inch crack. The rule requires following Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 777-57A0125 RB, dated July 25, 2023, for inspection timing and on-condition repairs.
Compliance timing, grace period, and repair-before-flight rule
Airplanes that previously completed the Boeing July 25, 2023 bulletin without open-hole HFEC for fasteners 6 and 7 must have the open-hole HFEC inspection within 12 months or 4,300 flight hours, whichever occurs first, after the AD effective date (April 23, 2025). Any required on-condition repair must be done before further flight, and operators may request Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs) for extensions if they provide supporting data.
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