It's not the first time a Southwest plane has developed an in-flight hole in its fuselage.
Whether the 737-300s, compared to later models of the 737, have structural problems that appear after so many flight miles or what, I don't know. But, given that Southwest has had a bit of run-ins with the FAA in the past couple of years, it had better do a thorough inspection job.
Now, it appears cracks have been found in three more planes. The fact that they're all on rivet lines would be a bit disconcerting, I think.
Update, April 5: That said, it appears this problem is Boeing's and not Southwest's. The plane maker overestimated the number of flight cycles the 737-300s could withstand before needing regular inspections.
And, that leads to this angle, the WSJ says:
For Boeing, which has built its reputation on engineering prowess and a mastery of metal airframes, the miscalculations raise questions about its new models constructed with composite materials. Half of the company's coming 787 Dreamliner, for instance, is constructed of carbon-fiber composite material, with which Boeing has far less long-term experience than it does with metal.The story goes on to note Boeing has had one misjudgment already on the Dreamliner, specifically on its joints.
These planes are really safe but perhaps not compatible with Southwest'¬s business model, which is a lot of short haul flights with multiple take off and landings per day. Perhaps the planes aren't designed to withstand that kind of stress over the long haul? Who knows? Scary any how.
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