The Federal Aviation Administration ordered mandatory inspections for certain Boeing 737 Max jets after identifying reports of cracks in the bear strap at the forward upper corner of the forward galley door cutout. The Airworthiness Directive, published Thursday and effective Sept. 10, covers certain 737-8, 737-9 and 737-8200 aircraft; the FAA estimates it affects 471 airplanes in the United States and requires inspections of the fuselage skin for existing repairs. Boeing said it first notified operators of 737 Next Generation airplanes about the issue in 2019 and that the problem has not been observed on the 737 Max fleet, but inspections were extended because the Max shares a similar design and build process. The order comes as Boeing remains under scrutiny after a 2024 Alaska Air Group Inc. 737 Max mid-air cabin blowout that damaged the fuselage and temporarily grounded the aircraft.