The US Federal Aviation Administration has issued an airworthiness directive, published November 2, 2026, ordering inspections of certain Boeing 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10 aircraft. The directive concerns center wing fuel tank sealant installations that lacked evidence of required adhesion testing, an issue Boeing identified during production.
The FAA warned that defective sealant could create an ignition source within the center wing fuel tank during a lightning strike, increasing the risk of a fuel tank explosion. Operators must inspect sealant in the left and right center wing fuel tanks and carry out adhesion tests where sealant was not previously verified, completing the work within 12 months of the directive's effective date, and repair any defects using approved procedures. The agency estimated about 34 hours of work per aircraft at $2,890 each, or $173,400 for the 60 affected US aircraft excluding repairs, and said some expenses could be covered under Boeing's warranty.