Overview
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a final airworthiness directive today requiring repetitive ultrasonic and detailed inspections of certain Boeing 787‑8, 787‑9 and 787‑10 Dreamliner aircraft after Boeing’s internal investigation identified shim gaps that exceeded engineering allowances on the lower side of body splice plates common to the lower outboard wing skins. The FAA warned that high pull‑up forces on these components could initiate fatigue cracks at the fastener holes.
Scope and Requirements
The directive mandates ultrasonic inspections of splice plates, rear spar terminal fittings, lower chords, front spar terminal fittings and jack pads for any cracks, together with repetitive detailed inspections of specific splice plates and on‑condition actions, including repair, wherever cracks are found.
Affected Fleet and Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that the directive applies to 17 Boeing 787 aircraft registered in the United States. Compliance is projected to cost up to $24,310 per inspection cycle for each aircraft, which aggregates to a maximum of $413,270 per inspection cycle for all U.S. operators combined.
Regulatory Process and Stakeholder Input
Comments on the proposed rule were received from United Airlines, American Airlines and The Foundation for Aviation Safety during the public comment period that followed the notice of proposed rulemaking published on 13 March 2026.
Boeing’s Response
Boeing indicated that the shim‑gap issue originates from manufacturing work performed in 2019 and that it issued a service bulletin addressing the gaps in August 2025. The company affirmed that it is cooperating with operators and that the affected 787s may continue normal operations while the required inspections are carried out.