28 Apr 2023

New Zealand's Poseidon planes unaffected by reported glitch - Ministry of Defence

8:01 am on 28 April 2023
BOEING P-8A POSEIDON

A New Zealand Poseidon P8-A. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

The Ministry of Defence says problems overseas with Poseidon maritime surveillance planes do not affect the safety or operations of the ones it has bought.

Boeing said earlier this month it faced delays delivering 737 Max aircraft, on which the Poseidon P8-A is based.

This was after a supplier revealed the installation of two fittings at the rear fuselage did not follow the standard.

The ministry has received two of the four Poseidons it bought in a $2.3 billion deal.

It was in contact with Boeing, supplier Spirit Aerosystems and the US Navy, deputy secretary of capability delivery Sarah Minson said in a statement.

"We have been informed that this a minor issue that does not affect the safety and operations of the aircraft already received, or the delivery of the remaining two aircraft," she said.

"Any remedial work, if required, will be built into scheduled routine maintenance programmes."

Boeing told the industry: "This is not an immediate safety of flight issue and the in-service fleet can continue operating safely."

It has faced intense scrutiny since two accidents in 2018 and 2019 with 737 Max planes, that killed 346 people.

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