Boeing Asks FAA To Approve Plan To Fix 787 Peeling Paint Issue

In February 2018, airlines worldwide noticed paint peeling on Boeing 787 wings and horizontal stabilizer surfaces. As a result, Boeing has asked the Federal Aviation Administration to approve its plan to address the problem.

Peeling paint

A problem with the Dreamliner aircraft’s paint caused ultraviolet radiation exposure to cause the paint to peel. On Monday, Boeing announced that airlines operating 787s have reported the issue and that they have a plan on how to fix it. The Federal Aviation Administration regulators are being asked to approve Boeing’s plan, but no approval has been given yet.

To address the peeling paint, Boeing wants to add a layer of ultraviolet-blocking black topcoat between the primer and white topcoat. Boeing has also been using “speed tape” to temporarily solve the problem until passengers share photos of aircraft with peeling paint.

The purpose of speed tape is to control aircraft speeds during high-risk activities, like during takeoff or landing. Despite what must be done with that speed tape, it’s proven to not affect the safety of a plane.

Speed tape is a great option for airplane companies to use. The public might mistakenly perceive that the tape has no effect on the safety of the plane, which is false.

According to Boeing, there are a number of factors delaying the resolution of this problem. The company has requested an exemption to fix the issue quickly so as not to cause problems for their customers.

“In order to lower the burden on the fleet and minimize the big-ticket items- in this case, maintenance- an exemption needs to be made.”

The peeling paint on Dreamliners has been an issue for years, and it’s not a new one. In May of 2020, Boeing issued a safety alert for operators that stated eleven airlines had reported the problem. The airline explained the problem by saying that there was a film of paint lifting off on the upper surface of the wing skin.

Air New Zealand was reported to have problems with peeling paints and plans to repaint airplanes starting in May 2022.

Airbus has been experiencing similar issues

Qatar Airways announces it’s suing Airbus for paint peeling on its A350s. In May 2021. This all started in January, when an A350 was sent to Airbus and reports came back that it had cracks in the paint. We believe this is because Qatar has pushed back the most as of now.

Qatar Airways has filed a lawsuit against Airbus and is considering new Boeing widebodies. The feud between the airline and Airbus seems to be getting more serious, with Qatar claiming that Airbus tried to sway inspectors.

Airbus has joined forces with Qatar Airways to help mediate the dispute. Airbus has requested access to confidential information, like the preliminary contract for Qatar’s order of 737 MAX aircraft.