Didn't We Already Do This In March?

Boy, does this story seem awfully familiar. On Tuesday, the FAA issued a new airworthiness directive ordering operators of older Boeing 737 aircraft to check for new evidence of fuselage fatigue cracking.

Airworthiness Directive 2008-13-12 will likely stir up unpleasant memories for Southwest Airlines, which was hit with a proposed $10.2 million fine by the agency in March, over the low-cost carrier's violation of a similar directive last year. As ANN reported, Southwest later found evidence of skin fatigue cracking on six of its Boeing 737-300 and 737-500 "Classic" model airliners.

"Southwest will comply with a mandate from the FAA," said Southwest spokeswoman Beth Harbin of the latest AD.

The Dallas Morning News reports the new AD also applies to Classic 737s, in this case calling for tighter inspections of upper fuselage frame portions near the aircraft's empennage. The FAA said a crack was found on one 737, though not a model that Southwest flies.

The new inspections must be performed every 6,000 cycles, with an estimated cost of between $308,000 and $650,560 per inspection cycle. Despite the carrier's estimated cost of $20.5 million to comply with the new AD, the FAA said "These changes will not increase the economic burden on any operator."

Roughly 10 of Southwest's 214 -300 and -500 models have already been modified, the carrier said, to make repetitive inspections unnecessary. The airline is gradually phasing out Classic model 737s, to make way for newer, "Next-Generation" 737-700s that, in addition to requiring less maintenance, are also more fuel-efficient to operate.

As ANN reported earlier Tuesday, the FAA also issued a separate AD ordering inspections of cracked overwing frames on MD-80-series airliners, including 212 MD-82 and MD-83s flown by Southwest's cross-town rival, American Airlines... another airline all-too-familiar with the cost of non-compliance with an FAA directive.

Like we said... this is all awfully familiar.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.southwest.com