Federal regulators on Tuesday said Boeing was revising its instructions for how airlines should inspect its 737 Max 9, delaying the manufacturer’s effort to get the jet back in the air after a panel in one of the planes blew out during a flight late last week.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the company would change the instructions it had released on Monday based on feedback, but the agency did not provide more details. Instructions on how to comply with F.A.A. rules are often drafted and distributed by airplane manufacturers, with input from airlines and the federal agency to ensure that they can be consistently followed by technicians.
“Upon receiving the revised version of instructions from Boeing, the F.A.A. will conduct a thorough review,” the F.A.A. said in a statement. “The safety of the flying public, not speed, will determine the timeline for returning the Boeing 737-9 Max to service.”
The announcement that Boeing was revising the instructions comes after two airlines reported finding loose parts in the area of the panel that is under inspection.
On Saturday, the F.A.A. had said that it would require inspections of the planes after one such panel was blown out during an Alaska Airlines flight that had taken off from Portland, Ore., the previous day. Although no serious injuries were reported, the incident exposed passengers to powerful wind and raised fresh concerns about Boeing’s quality control practices. The incident has also forced airlines operating the Max 9 to cancel scores of flights.
