What Happened
Regulatory Action Targets Pitch Oscillation Issue in Next Generation Fleet
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an airworthiness directive requiring inspections of nearly 2,000 Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft due to reported pitch oscillations linked to excessive looseness in the horizontal stabilizer mechanism. The directive, which takes effect on November 23, 2026, aims to prevent potentially dangerous vibrations that could result in loss of control. The FAA estimates that the inspections will require six work-hours per aircraft, costing approximately $1 million across the affected US fleet. This development was first reported by AeroTime.