FAA Orders Inspections for 17 Boeing 787 Dreamliners

The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring ultrasonic and detailed inspections of 17 US-registered Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The order follows a probe by The Boeing Company into manufacturing errors involving shim gaps, which are small spaces between joined aircraft parts.

Investigators found that these gaps exceeded engineering specifications. The FAA warned that high pull-up forces on these components may cause fatigue cracks to form at fastener holes, which could weaken the primary wing structure and potentially result in a loss of safe flight and landing if not addressed.

Boeing stated the manufacturing issue dates back to 2019 and noted that it issued a service bulletin regarding the gaps in August 2025. Despite the FAA directive, the company maintains that affected aircraft can continue normal operations while it coordinates with operators to resolve the structural concerns.