US demands more testing for Boeing 737 safety switches

Federal regulators will require more frequent testing of switches on Boeing 737s that trigger warnings to pilots about a dangerous loss of cabin pressure.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it acted after receiving reports of failures of newly installed switches.

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There are two switches on every Boeing 737, and if both fail at the same time, unsuspecting pilots could pass out from lack of oxygen, the FAA said in a rule released Thursday.

The FAA said its order was for 2,502 aircraft registered in the United States. Chicago-based Boeing has said it supports the move.

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The order directs aircraft operators to test and, if necessary, replace parts called cabin altitude pressure switches every 2,000 flight hours instead of the current 6,000 hour interval.

Boeing initially believed that the switches – which are provided by a supplier Boeing refused to identify – would fail very rarely. However, the FAA said that further investigation led the agency and Boeing to decide two months ago “that the failure rate of both switches is much higher than initially expected and therefore poses a safety concern.” .

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The FAA said it did not know why the switches failed. Boeing said it was working with the FAA and the switch supplier to resolve the issue.

Federal rules require that all airliners include a system that warns crews of depressurization. Boeing 737 pressure switches are designed to detect low pressures and trigger audible and visible warnings to pilots.