March 13, 2026 — Washington, D.C. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a proposed airworthiness directive mandating inspections for Boeing 787 Dreamliners after discovering shim gap issues in manufacturing, targeting certain 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 aircraft due to excessive shim gaps at lower side-of-body splice plates that could lead to fatigue cracks in the primary wing structure.
The directive stems from a Boeing investigation revealing manufacturing errors and excessive preload forces at the North Charleston production site, affecting 17 U.S.-registered airplanes identified in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB570048 RB, dated August 11, 2025. The FAA noted that existing structural inspections are inadequate to detect potential cracks before they compromise the wing’s ability to sustain limit loads.
Required Inspections and Compliance
Operators must conduct repetitive ultrasonic inspections of splice plates, rear spar terminal fittings, lower chords, front spar terminal fittings, and jack pads, along with detailed inspections of certain splice plates for cracks. Applicable repairs are required if damage is found. Compliance times follow the Boeing bulletin, with the AD’s effective date substituting for the bullin’s issue date. Public comments are due by April 27, 2026.
“The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a Boeing investigation for manufacturing errors and excessive preload forces at the lower side of body (SOB) splice plates common to the lower outboard wing skins.”
Boeing’s Position and Fleet Safety
Boeing supports the FAA making the inspections mandatory and has corrected the root cause in current production. The company issued the alert bulletin in August 2025 and states the global 787 fleet remains safe for operations.
“We support the FAA making that guidance mandatory. The 787 global fleet can continue normal operations. We identified the root cause of this issue and corrected it in production.”
— Boeing statement to FlightGlobal
Economic Impacts
The FAA estimates costs of up to 286 work hours per cycle at $85 per hour, totaling $24,310 per aircraft or $413,270 for the U.S. fleet. On-condition repairs costs are undetermined but may be covered by warranty, per Simple Flying coverage.
No immediate grounding is required, though the directive addresses ongoing scrutiny of Boeing 787 quality. An X post on March 14 emphasized FAA mandates inspections for Boeing 787 Dreamliners after discovering shim gap issues in manufacturing, noting potential effects on fleet availability. Coverage also appeared in Aero News Journal.
For related aviation safety updates, see Aeronautics Online.