FAA Orders Safety Changes for 737s

Federal aviation authorities ordered airlines flying the Boeing 737 to make a series of modifications to correct unsafe conditions in the plane’s rudder controls. The Federal Aviation Administration directive stemmed from recommendations by a design review team formed after two incidents in which 737s went into uncontrolled rolls and crashed, killing a total of 157 people. The changes call for the modification of the plane’s rudder power control units to try to prevent contamination by hydraulic fluid that could reduce rudder movement. The FAA estimated the modifications will cost up to $16,880 per plane.