FAA to issue directive on inspections

Southwest planes being inspectedSTORY HIGHLIGHTSThe FAA says it plans to mandate inspections of certain 737sAbout 175 planes will be subject to inspectionBy Monday afternoon, Southwest had inspected 67 of its 79 grounded jetsThe joint where the breach opened had been visually, not electromagnetically, inspected (CNN) -- The Federal Aviation Administration plans to issue a directive Tuesday mandating operators of about 175 older Boeing 737s to conduct inspections for wear and tear.

The "emergency directive" comes just days after a Boeing 737 flown by Southwest Airlines made an emergency landing with a hole in its fuselage.

The FAA mandate would affect about 80 U.S.-registered 737-300s, 737-400s and 737-500s, mostly operated by Southwest. The remaining 95 or so aircraft are registered outside the United States.

Each of the 175 or so planes in question have taken off and landed more than 30,000 times and will receive repetitive electromagnetic inspections at regular intervals for fatigue damage.

In a separate statement, Boeing said it was working with the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and Southwest, and it was preparing a service bulletin to recommend lap joint inspections on certain 737 models.

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