A United Boeing 737 rotating out of Washington Dulles. [Photo: AirlineGeeks | Peter Weiland]
Key Takeaways:
The FAA issued a safety alert for certain Boeing 737 aircraft (NG and Max series) regarding the potential for jammed or restricted rudder movement.
The issue is linked to optional Collins Aerospace SVO-730 Rudder Rollout Guidance Actuators (RRGA), where incorrect bearing assembly can allow moisture to freeze and compromise function in cold conditions.
This alert follows a United Airlines 737-8 incident and NTSB findings indicating over 353 actuators delivered since 2017 are affected, with specific procedures recommended for flight crews.
The FAA released a safety alert for operators (SAFO) of some Boeing 737 aircraft Tuesday, citing the potential for jammed or restricted rudder movement.
Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
