Federal aviation regulator seeks fix for nearly 500 Boeing 737 planes

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/03/03/federal-aviation-regulator-seeks-fix-for-nearly-500-boeing-737-planes/



Federal aviation regulator seeks fix for nearly 500 Boeing 737 planes
By Reuters
Monday, March 3, 2014 16:37 EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. aviation regulators on Monday proposed a fix for some Boeing 737 planes to ensure that a faulty altimeter does not cause the automatic throttle system to unexpectedly cut engine speed.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the changes to cockpit automation, if adopted, would affect 497 Boeing 737s, specifically the 600 and its later models. Chicago-based Boeing said another 778 jets would be affected if aviation regulators outside the United States adopt the FAA proposal.

Boeing said in an email to Reuters that the FAA’s proposed rule would order actions the company had previously recommended to airlines.

A plane’s altimeter measures altitude. The fix would prevent a false reading from triggering the plane’s automatic throttle control to reduce speed on landing, possibly leading to a loss of control, the FAA said.