Boeing stock was stable in early trading Friday after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered the inspection of some 737 MAX jets for cracks in a structure.

Shares of the commercial jet maker were up 0.3% at $232.80, while S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively.

The move follows an FAA Airworthiness Directive issued on Thursday, instructing operators of 471 737 MAX-8, 737 MAX-9, and 737-8200 model jets to look for cracks in the "bear strap at the forward upper corner of the forward galley door cutout."

Airworthiness directives arise when the FAA believes an unsafe condition exists due to design, manufacturing, operational wear, or maintenance issues. They mandate the actions that must be taken, and by when, for an airplane to remain airworthy.

The bear strap is a metal reinforcement around an aircraft's doorways and major cutouts.

Boeing didn't immediately respond to a Barron's request for comment.

To be sure, the FAA is there to ensure aviation safety, and checking planes is part of that. It issues hundreds of airworthiness directives each year.

Investors, however, are highly attuned to MAX issues following two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019, as well as a door-plug blowout in 2024. The crashes were linked to faulty flight control software. The door-plug blowout was linked to poor production quality.

Coming into Friday trading, Boeing stock was up 7% year to date and 2% over the past 12 months. Those small moves belie what's been going on. Shares traded north of $250 in early 2026, before the Iran war began. Then they dropped below $190 in March as oil prices rose, dramatically increasing the cost of jet fuel.

Shares have recovered since then, helped by better-than-expected free cash flow generated in the second quarter. Boeing is expected to generate positive free cash flow of about $2 billion in 2026, growing to $10 billion by 2028. The company has had trouble generating cash flow in the aftermath of the MAX issues. Between 2019 and 2025, Boeing used about $38 billion to fund its business.