WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it was proposing three directives to mandate engine housing inspections and component replacements on Boeing 737 NG airplanes after a 2018 Southwest Airlines fatal fan blade incident.
The directives cover 1,979 U.S.-registered and 6,666 737 airplanes worldwide and would require operators to inspect and replace certain components on the engine cowling by July 2028.
Boeing said it supported the FAA's proposal to make mandatory a set of service bulletins it made "to improve the design of the 737NG. ... Airlines can continue safely operating the fleet with interim actions until permanent modifications can be made."
(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jonathan Oatis)