Aerolíneas Argentinas confirmed this Thursday that it decided temporarily withdraw eight Boeing 737-800 aircraft from operation after one of them suffered a failure during takeoff from Jorge Newbery Airport. This is a preventive measure that aims to review the CFM56-7B engines, manufactured by CFM International, which power a good part of the company’s short and medium range fleet.
The incident that gave rise to the decision occurred on Wednesday, during the flight AR1526 to Córdobawhen one of the plane’s propellers developed an anomaly shortly after takeoff. The crew interrupted the climb and performed a emergency landing at Ezeiza Airport with no injuries or major damage reported.
In an official statement, the company explained that “As a result of this event, Aerolíneas Argentinas decided to preventively suspend the operations of eight B737-800 aircraft equipped with engines from the same manufacturer and with the same characteristics as those affected in these recent events.”.
The devices involved are the units LV-FQY, LV-FQZ, LV-FSK, LV-FUA, LV-FUB, LV-FUC, LV-FVM and LV-FVOwhich will remain on the ground until a comprehensive technical inspection process is completed.
Failures before time
Company sources indicated that the recurrence of the failures was produced well before the manufacturer’s recommended revision cycleswhich set off alarms in the maintenance teams.
In the case of CFM56-7B engines, The manufacturer suggests a thorough inspection every 17,200 flight cyclesa cycle equivalent to a landing and takeoff. “None of the engines that registered failures were close to reaching that threshold,” Aerolíneas stated.
The company’s technicians work in coordination with CFM International and Boeing engineers to determine the origin of the problemwhich could be linked to a specific batch of components or abnormal wear.
No impact on flights
Despite the temporary withdrawal of the eight planes, Aerolíneas Argentinas assured that no significant operative complications are expected. The airline has Sufficient backup resources and fleet to maintain the schedule of domestic and short-range international flights.
“We have the necessary flexibility to cover scheduled services while the reviews are carried out. The priority is the safety and reliability of operations,” internal sources stressed.
Currently, Airlines operates more than 40 Boeing 737 aircraft in different versionsincluding the 700, 800 and MAX models, which cover most national and regional routes.
Background and control
The case of flight AR1526 revived debates about the age and maintenance of the short-haul fleet of the state company, in a context of high demand and pressure on operating costs.
The Boeing 737-800 model is one of the most used in the world, with more than 5,000 units in service. The CFM56-7B engine, produced by the Franco-American partnership between Safran Aircraft Engines and GE Aerospaceis recognized for its reliability, although in recent years There have been isolated reports of premature wear in certain environmental conditions..
Technical evaluation and internal audit
The review process will include borescopic inspections, vibration analysis and control of lubrication systems of the engines, along with tracking electronic records of each flight.
Additionally, Airlines ordered an internal maintenance and parts traceability audit to verify the provenance and history of components replaced over the past few months.
Preliminary conclusions are expected in the coming days, although sources from the aeronautical sector estimate that Aircraft could progressively return to operation in the coming weeksonce the verifications are completed.
by RN
