AIRLINES are facing fresh calls for their aircraft’s fuel tanks to be fitted with explosion-prevention systems like those on military planes. This follows a warning from Boeing that 3200 of its planes may have faulty fuel pumps that could spark explosions.
Boeing says a spark from wiring in the pumps could ignite vapour in a near-empty tank. The Seattle-based company first learned about the problem in August, when it said only 118 jets might be affected. But last week the company said 35,000 fuel pumps could malfunction and that newer 737s, plus all 747s and 757s, need to be checked.…
