A NEW SETBACK HITS A BOEING JET: US WILL REQUIRE INSPECTION OF PILOT SEATS ON 787S

Federal safety officials are requiring inspections of cockpit seats on Boeing 787 Dreamliners after one of the jets went into a dive when the captain's seat lurched forward without warning and disconnected the plane's autopilot system.

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Boeing also has stopped test flights of a new version of its 777 jetliner after discovering a damaged structural part between the engine and the rest of the plane. The new model has not yet been approved by regulators.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in an order that it will require operators of 787s to inspect both pilot seats for missing or cracked caps that cover a switch used to move the seats.

During a March flight by Chile-based Latam Airlines, the captain's seat moved forward and hit a switch that disconnected the autopilot system. The plane, flying from Australia to New Zealand, rapidly dropped about 400 feet (120 meters) before the co-pilot regained control, according to a preliminary report by Chilean authorities. Several dozen passengers were injured, according to news reports.