NEW YORK, June  13, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Boeing said Thursday it is examining

fasteners on some undelivered 787 jets after discovering problems with their

installation in the latest manufacturing shortcoming to face the company.

    The aviation giant, which faces intensified scrutiny from regulators

following recent incidents and manufacturing difficulties, said planes already

in service can continue to be flown safely.

    "Our 787 team is checking fasteners in the side-of-body area of some

undelivered 787 Dreamliner airplanes to ensure they meet our engineering

specifications," the company said.

 Boeing said it discovered during a quality check that some fasteners were

"torqued incorrectly."

    The company's review is focused on whether airplanes in inventory need

rework, Boeing said, adding that 787 Dreamliner deliveries have not been paused

and that it expects "limited to no impact on deliveries."

    The company said it is working closely with the Federal Aviation

Administration and customers on the issue.

   "Boeing disclosed that it may have improperly installed fuselage fasteners

on some 787 Dreamliner aircraft," the FAA said. "The FAA is investigating and

is working closely with Boeing to determine appropriate actions and to ensure

an immediate fix in the production system."

  The latest 787 issue, discovered as part of Boeing's quality management

operation, comes as the company faces scrutiny after a near-catastrophic

incident in January on Alaska Airlines and recent testimonials from company

whistleblowers about safety.

  Also on Thursday, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker updated a Senate panel on

the agency's stepped-up oversight of Boeing involving additional inspectors,

pledging that the agency "will continue to hold them accountable for producing

and delivering safe aircraft."

    In April, Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour testified before a Senate panel

that due to manufacturing problems, the 787 Dreamliner contains gaps between

parts well above company standards, posing risk of a potentially catastrophic

accident.

 Boeing rebutted those charges, pointing to exhaustive testing procedures

that they said proved the jet was safe.