Boeing 777 May be Allowed Back into the Air at the Beginning of 2022 After Engine Problems

The American aviation regulator FAA on Wednesday published a proposal for modifications to a series of 777 aircraft from the American manufacturer Boeing that has been grounded since February due to engine problems. The aircraft could be flying again in early 2022.

 

On February 20, an engine of a United Airlines Boeing 777-200 caught fire shortly after takeoff in Denver, Colorado. Several parts of the engine fell down and ended up in a residential area. The pilots turned around and were able to land the aircraft safely.

A few hours later, Boeing recommended grounding 128 777s with the same engine type from engine manufacturer Pratt Whitney.

The US aviation authority, the Federal Aviation Administration, later said that a turbine blade might have burst due to metal fatigue and caught fire.

The authority has now made proposals to address the mechanical issues identified in a total of three different incidents. She suggests, among other things, reinforcing the engine fairing, inspecting certain parts and additional testing of an emergency system.

Boeing says it supports the guidelines. And United Airlines, the only US carrier to have 777s with the affected engines in its fleet, calls the proposals “a good solution.” She expects the planes to be operational again early next year.

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