The Federal Aviation Administration issued an immediately effective airworthiness directive on February 24 2026 for all Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 737 8200 aircraft. The directive addresses a ground‑wire fault in the air‑conditioning system that can trip the BAT BUS SECT 2 circuit breaker on the Standby Power Control Unit, causing the ram‑air deflector doors to close and preventing cooling air from reaching the heat exchangers. This fault can lead to excessive cabin and flight‑deck temperatures, posing a safety risk for operators and passengers.
The directive requires operators to revise flight manuals within 30 days to include new procedures for handling the overheating issue and to inspect and replace affected circuit breakers if necessary. Boeing is cooperating with the FAA and is developing a permanent engineering solution that will be incorporated into current MAX 8 and MAX 9 models and will be ready for the MAX 7 and MAX 10 before their certification.
The directive applies to 2,119 aircraft worldwide, including 771 registered in the United States. Boeing says the issue does not affect the certification timelines for the MAX 7 and MAX 10, but the directive adds to the regulatory scrutiny that has followed the 2018 and 2019 crashes that grounded the fleet worldwide.
While the immediate fix is procedural, the long‑term engineering solution will incur costs for Boeing and could influence maintenance schedules and delivery timelines. However, Boeing has indicated that the directive will not delay the delivery of new aircraft or the certification of future models.
The FAA has made the rule immediately effective and is accepting public comments until April 10 2026, underscoring the urgency of the safety risk.
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