In a recent development, major airlines have issued warnings to pilots regarding the potential danger of a bird strike on a Boeing 737 Max aircraft. According to documents obtained by CNN, Boeing alerted Southwest Airlines and American Airlines of the risk in February, prompting both airlines to inform their respective pilot groups.
The alerts stated, “Boeing has received two reports of CFM LEAP-1B engine failures following large bird strikes on takeoff and initial climb.” Southwest Airlines’ alert indicated that such a strike could lead to oil burning and the immediate presence of smoke and fumes in the passenger cabin through the air conditioning system.
Although this issue was not widely publicized until recently, it raises concerns about potential additional problems with the 737 Max aircraft, which have faced various manufacturing and design issues. Engine maker CFM International has stated that their engines met bird ingestion certification requirements and performed as designed during the reported incidents.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that they will be working with Boeing to investigate these incidents further and determine if any additional actions are necessary. Boeing has issued a service bulletin in response to the two bird strike incidents and is collaborating with CFM to gather more information on the matter.
During a hearing on Capitol Hill, outgoing Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun took responsibility for the company’s recent shortcomings, acknowledging incidents such as a door plug blowout on a 737 Max 9 and the crashes of two 737 Max 8s that resulted in the tragic deaths of 346 individuals.
