Tuesday, August 20, 2024 The Federal Aviation Administration mandates global Boeing 787 cockpit seat switch inspections after a LATAM incident led to a sudden altitude drop. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a global directive requiring an inspection of all Boeing 787 aircraft for the switches that control the movement of pilots’ seats in the cockpit. This action follows an incident involving a LATAM Dreamliner, where the aircraft experienced a sudden altitude drop due to the captain’s seat unexpectedly sliding forward.
Under this new directive, operators of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, including the 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 models, must check the pilot and co-pilot seats for any missing or cracked rocker switch caps, as well as for any damage to the switch covers. Airlines operating these Boeing 787 aircraft have been instructed to carry out inspections within 30 days and to make any necessary repairs. As reported by Reuters, this directive impacts 158 planes in the United States and 737 planes globally.
The LATAM 787 Event This latest FAA order stems from a March incident involving LATAM Airlines, where a Boeing 787-9, registered as CC-BGG, experienced a sudden and alarming drop while cruising. The aircraft was on a 5th freedom flight between Sydney and Auckland when the incident occurred, resulting in injuries to over 50 passengers, some of whom sustained severe injuries, with at least one passenger in critical condition. Reports indicate that a flight at.