What's new

Boeing 737 Max 9: Jets to stay grounded as inspections continue

Boeing 737 Max boss out after blowout

The leader of Boeing's troubled 737 Max programme is to leave the company, which has been under pressure since a piece of one of its jets blew off during a passenger flight in January.

The departure of Ed Clark after nearly 18 years is part of a wider shake-up of the commercial airplane division that Boeing announced on Wednesday.

Boeing said the changes were aimed at improving its quality and safety.

It comes as the firm prepares to meet with regulators.

The company has been facing scrutiny since the incident on the Alaska Airline flight, which did not lead to serious injuries but forced an emergency landing.

The incident revived wider questions about manufacturing processes for Boeing's popular 737 Max planes, years after crashes involving a different version of the jets in 2018 and 2019 killed 346 people and led to a global grounding for 20 months.

Boeing was barred last month from expanding its 737 Max output by the Federal Aviation Administration, while the authority reviewed its production line for the planes. Other less serious flaws have troubled production in recent years as Boeing ramped up manufacturing following the grounding.

A preliminary investigation of what went wrong on the 737 Max 9 jet flown by Alaska Airlines found that bolts meant to fasten the door panel were missing, after being removed inside Boeing's factory in Renton Washington.



bbc.com

Boeing 737 Max boss out after blowout

The company says leadership changes are meant to improve the quality and safety of its planes.
bbc.com bbc.com
 
Cricket Warrior said:
Boeing 737 Max boss out after blowout

The leader of Boeing's troubled 737 Max programme is to leave the company, which has been under pressure since a piece of one of its jets blew off during a passenger flight in January.

The departure of Ed Clark after nearly 18 years is part of a wider shake-up of the commercial airplane division that Boeing announced on Wednesday.

Boeing said the changes were aimed at improving its quality and safety.

It comes as the firm prepares to meet with regulators.

The company has been facing scrutiny since the incident on the Alaska Airline flight, which did not lead to serious injuries but forced an emergency landing.

The incident revived wider questions about manufacturing processes for Boeing's popular 737 Max planes, years after crashes involving a different version of the jets in 2018 and 2019 killed 346 people and led to a global grounding for 20 months.

Boeing was barred last month from expanding its 737 Max output by the Federal Aviation Administration, while the authority reviewed its production line for the planes. Other less serious flaws have troubled production in recent years as Boeing ramped up manufacturing following the grounding.

A preliminary investigation of what went wrong on the 737 Max 9 jet flown by Alaska Airlines found that bolts meant to fasten the door panel were missing, after being removed inside Boeing's factory in Renton Washington.



bbc.com

Boeing 737 Max boss out after blowout

The company says leadership changes are meant to improve the quality and safety of its planes.
bbc.com bbc.com
Click to expand...
Well, there must be scrutiny of the technical team as well... why should only the boss go? entire inspection team must be sacked for this negligence.
 
Boeing whistleblower John Barnett found dead in US

A former Boeing employee known for raising concerns about the firm's production standards has been found dead in the US.

John Barnett had worked for Boeing for 32 years, until his retirement in 2017.

In the days before his death, he had been giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company.

Boeing said it was saddened to hear of Mr Barnett's passing. The Charleston County coroner confirmed his death to the BBC on Monday.

It said the 62-year-old had died from a "self-inflicted" wound on 9 March and police were investigating.

Mr Barnett had worked for the US plane giant for 32 years, until his retirement in 2017 on health grounds.

From 2010, he worked as a quality manager at the North Charleston plant making the 787 Dreamliner, a state-of-the-art airliner used mainly on long-haul routes.

In 2019, Mr Barnett told the BBC that under-pressure workers had been deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft on the production line.

He also said he had uncovered serious problems with oxygen systems, which could mean one in four breathing masks would not work in an emergency.

He said soon after starting work in South Carolina he had become concerned that the push to get new aircraft built meant the assembly process was rushed and safety was compromised, something the company denied.

He later told the BBC that workers had failed to follow procedures intended to track components through the factory, allowing defective components to go missing.

He said in some cases, sub-standard parts had even been removed from scrap bins and fitted to planes that were being built to prevent delays on the production line.

He also claimed that tests on emergency oxygen systems due to be fitted to the 787 showed a failure rate of 25%, meaning that one in four could fail to deploy in a real-life emergency.


www.bbc.com

Boeing whistleblower John Barnett found dead in US

Prior to his death, John Barnett was testifying against Boeing over concerns about standards.
www.bbc.com
 
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will step down from the embattled plane maker at the end of the year after a series of mishaps at one of America’s most storied manufacturers

Board Chair Larry Kellner has also told the company he doesn’t plan to stand for re-election.

Boeing also said Monday that Stan Deal, president and CEO of its commercial airplanes unit, will retire from the company. Stephanie Pope will now lead the division.

The Federal Aviation Administration has put the company under intense scrutiny and recently ordered an audit of assembly lines at a Boeing factory near Seattle, where the company builds planes like the Alaska Airlines 737 Max that suffered a door-panel blowout on Jan. 5.

Investigators say bolts that help keep the panel in place were missing after repair work at the Boeing factory.

The incident has raised investigation of Boeing to its highest level since two crashes of Boeing 737 Max jets in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.

Shares rose more than 2 percent before the market open.

 
'Used dish soap as lubricant in door seal': FAA's Boeing 737 Max audit finds unacceptable lapses

An extensive audit conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) into Boeing's 737 production process has unearthed numerous alarming issues, said a report by New York Times. Triggered by a concerning incident involving a door plug on a 737 MAX 9 aircraft, the audit highlighted what the FAA deemed "unacceptable" lapses in quality control across Boeing and its supplier, Spirit AeroSystems.

Within Spirit AeroSystems' fuselage manufacturing plant in Wichita, Kansas, FAA auditors observed mechanics resorting to unconventional practices. These included using a hotel key card to assess door seal integrity and applying dish liquid soap to a door seal "as a lubricant in the fit-up process." Such findings underscored broader concerns about adherence to established protocols and standards.

According to the report, Spirit AeroSystems faced challenges in meeting FAA standards, with seven out of thirteen product audits resulting in failure. Notably, issues ranged from vague instructions provided to mechanics to deficiencies in the installation of crucial components like the plane's door plug.

In response to these revelations, a spokesperson for Spirit AeroSystems, a company currently in discussions for reacquisition by Boeing, stated that they are diligently reviewing all identified nonconformities to implement corrective measures.

Boeing, which underwent its own scrutiny during the audit, failed in 33 out of 89 product audits, resulting in a total of 97 instances of alleged noncompliance. While the FAA has refrained from publicly disclosing its findings, citing an ongoing investigation into the door plug incident and Boeing's response, the company has been tasked with devising a comprehensive plan to rectify the identified systemic quality control deficiencies within a 90-day timeframe.

Alongside the FAA's investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Justice Department have initiated separate inquiries into the alarming door panel blowout incident. These investigations signal a concerted effort to comprehensively address safety and compliance concerns within Boeing's 737 production process.



www.businesstoday.in

'Used dish soap as lubricant in door seal': FAA's Boeing 737 Max audit finds unacceptable lapses

Boeing, which underwent its own scrutiny during the audit, failed in 33 out of 89 product audits, resulting in a total of 97 instances of alleged noncompliance.
www.businesstoday.in www.businesstoday.in
 
He should had been fired so long ago. Absolute tool this man.

FAA trying to save face, they need to called in for Congress hearing.
 
JaDed said:
He should had been fired so long ago. Absolute tool this man.

FAA trying to save face, they need to called in for Congress hearing.
Click to expand...

He should be in prison, it blows my mind because it’s one of the most regulated industry’s. If he got away with it for that flight, it’s likely he was using that lubricant substitute for some time. Boeing wont be making any new planes anytime soon and that supplier is finished.
 
Alaska Air Group (ALK.N), opens new tab said on Thursday the lost capacity from the temporary grounding of its Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab 737 Max 9 fleet may cause the company's long-term profit growth to be below its target range of 4% to 8%.

Earlier this month, Alaska Air forecast first-quarter adjusted loss per share of 55 cents to 45 cents per share, compared with analysts' estimates for a loss of $1.18 per share, according to LSEG data.

The first-quarter forecast reflects an unspecified partial compensation the carrier received from Boeing following a mid-air blowout of a door plug panel in January and a 30 cent-per-share impact from the temporary grounding of MAX 9 jets after the incident, Alaska Air said earlier.

The airline had also said its full-year capacity expectations were still in a "flux" due to uncertainty surrounding aircraft delivery timings stemming from increased Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Justice scrutiny of Boeing and its operations.


Reuters
 
NTSB Found More Boeing 737 MAX Door Plug Repairs, Chair Says

Speaking to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee during her Nominations Hearing, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy told Senators that investigators are looking into other instances of repairs where the door plug was removed and reinstalled at BoeingBA -1.9% .

A repair performed on Alaska AirlinesALK -3.1% 737 MAX 9 during which the door plug was opened and closed is thought to have caused the door plug blowout in-flight, when four critical arresting bolts were not re-installed.

To date, the NTSB has failed to obtain any documentation of that work from Boeing and Boeing has said there was no documentation.



www.forbes.com

NTSB Found More Boeing 737 MAX Door Plug Repairs, Chair Says

A similar repair performed on Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 is thought to have caused the door plug blowout in-flight, when critical arresting bolts were not re-installed.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com
 
More troubles incoming for Boeing
=====
A Boeing engineer who fears parts of the company's 787 Dreamliner planes could break apart in mid-air has testified at a US Senate hearing

Sam Salehpour says his concerns were “ignored” by Boeing over three years, and alleges that he was physically threatened by his bosses

Salehpour also claims that he saw workers jumping on plane parts like Tarzan to get them to align and fit together
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating Salehpour's claims of safety issues with how the planes are built
Boeing is under scrutiny over a series of incidents, including when a door blew out of a 737 Max plane shortly after take-off
 
The Bald Eagle said:
More troubles incoming for Boeing
=====
A Boeing engineer who fears parts of the company's 787 Dreamliner planes could break apart in mid-air has testified at a US Senate hearing

Sam Salehpour says his concerns were “ignored” by Boeing over three years, and alleges that he was physically threatened by his bosses

Salehpour also claims that he saw workers jumping on plane parts like Tarzan to get them to align and fit together
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating Salehpour's claims of safety issues with how the planes are built
Boeing is under scrutiny over a series of incidents, including when a door blew out of a 737 Max plane shortly after take-off
Click to expand...
The Boeing 787 made its first flight in 2009 and the first deliveries happened in 2011. More than 1,100 frames have been delivered since and the aircraft forms the backbone of many fleets worldwide. The older frames must have already completed several thousands of cycles and tens of thousands of flying hours. Any design or manufacturing defect should have made its presence felt by now.
Personally, I think all these claims of the aircraft possibly breaking apart in midair are far fetched, but I'm willing to consider an unbiased scientific opinion on the matter.
It's also quite well known that Boeing's biggest competitor across the Atlantic isn't above lighting the fuses of propaganda when it suits them.
However, having flown on the aircraft, I do think that the Boeing 787's cabin comfort and noise levels are appalling. On my last trip, the cabin was so noisy that I couldn't hear the inflight entertainment though the headphones. But who cares, as long as it is making money for its operators.
 
Boeing 737 Max whistleblower Joshua Dean, 45, dead after sudden illness

A second whistleblower to raise concerns about the safety of Boeing aircraft has died.

Joshua Dean, 45, was a former quality auditor for Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kan. He worked on the Boeing 737 Max program and filed a formal whistleblower complaint to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2023 over improper manufacturing practices he witnessed. He had been fired months before, allegedly in retaliation for bringing up safety concerns with Spirit management.

His death comes two months after Boeing whistleblower John Barrett was found dead of an apparent suicide a day after testifying against the planemaker.


globalnews.ca

Boeing 737 Max whistleblower Joshua Dean, 45, dead after sudden illness - National | Globalnews.ca

Joshua Dean suffered numerous infections and a stroke after his health began rapidly deteriorating two weeks ago.
globalnews.ca globalnews.ca
 
Cricket Warrior said:
Boeing 737 Max whistleblower Joshua Dean, 45, dead after sudden illness

A second whistleblower to raise concerns about the safety of Boeing aircraft has died.

Joshua Dean, 45, was a former quality auditor for Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kan. He worked on the Boeing 737 Max program and filed a formal whistleblower complaint to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2023 over improper manufacturing practices he witnessed. He had been fired months before, allegedly in retaliation for bringing up safety concerns with Spirit management.

His death comes two months after Boeing whistleblower John Barrett was found dead of an apparent suicide a day after testifying against the planemaker.


globalnews.ca

Boeing 737 Max whistleblower Joshua Dean, 45, dead after sudden illness - National | Globalnews.ca

Joshua Dean suffered numerous infections and a stroke after his health began rapidly deteriorating two weeks ago.
globalnews.ca globalnews.ca
Click to expand...
Did anybody noticed this trend that when a guy blows the whistle out for any large organization, he dies few days later. What a coincidence.
 
Boeing in new inquiry over 787 inspection doubts

The US has opened a new inquiry into troubled jet firm Boeing, after the company told air safety regulators that it might not have properly inspected its 787 Dreamliner planes.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it would look into whether staff had falsified records.

It said Boeing was re-inspecting all 787 jets on the manufacturing line.

Boeing will be forced to develop an "action plan" to address concerns about planes already in service, it added.

Boeing did not comment.

Internally, the company told staff last week that the "misconduct" had not created an "immediate safety of flight issue", according to a message seen by BBC News.

"We quickly reviewed the matter and learned that several people had been violating company policies by not performing a required test, but recording the work as having been completed," Scott Stocker, head of the Boeing 787 program, said in the email to staff.

The FAA said that Boeing had come forward "voluntarily" last month to warn that it "may not have completed" inspections required to confirm adequate electrical safeguards where the wings join the main body of certain of its 787 Dreamliners, a large jet often used on international flights.

"The FAA is investigating whether Boeing completed the inspections and whether company employees may have falsified aircraft records," it said.

"As the investigation continues, the FAA will take any necessary action - as always - to ensure the safety of the flying public."

It is the latest problem to erupt at Boeing in recent years. In January, an unused emergency exit door blew off a new 737 Max 9 plane shortly after take-off, thrusting its manufacturing and safety processes into the spotlight.

The incident prompted the temporary grounding of dozens of planes and has forced the firm to drastically slow production, while sparking increased regulatory oversight, criminal investigation and other legal and financial troubles.

In March, chief executive Dave Calhoun said he would be stepping down by the end of the year, becoming the most high-profile person to exit the company in the wake of the incident.

Boeing's reputation had been damaged a few years ago, when two of its 737 Max planes crashed within five months of each other, claiming the lives of 346 passengers and crew. A 737 Max flown by Ethiopian Airlines aircraft crashed shortly after take-off in March, 2019, following a Lion Air crash in October 2018. That led to the then chief executive Dennis Muilenburg being fired.

Last month, Congress hosted a hearing featuring whistleblowers, including Sam Salehpour who testified that his concerns about the 787 had been dismissed.

Boeing has said it is working to reform its corporate culture to encourage people who see problems to speak out, with a "more than 500% increase" in reports from employees since January.

BBC
 
DOJ schedules meeting with Boeing victims as decision nears

The Justice Department on Tuesday contacted the families of victims of two fatal Boeing 737 Max crashes as it nears a crucial decision over whether the company violated a 2021 deal that allowed it to escape criminal prosecution over the incidents, according to a letter obtained by ABC News.

The letter, sent by the department's fraud section, invited families to attend a May 31 meeting where they will be informed of the DOJ's decision as to whether the company breached the deferred prosecution agreement, or DPA.

If prosecutors believe they can make the case that Boeing violated the agreement's terms -- which demanded the company's continued cooperation with the government, a requirement it disclose any allegations of fraud, and avoid committing any felony offenses -- it would pave the way for a historic criminal prosecution of the aerospace giant that could have widespread impacts on the country's aviation industry.

The meeting will be the fourth conferral session between the Justice Department and the families of passengers who died in the 2018 and 2019 crashes of two 737 Max airplanes who for years have accused the DOJ of cutting a "sweetheart deal" with Boeing that should be thrown out.


ABC News
 
Boeing needs to be shut down. This company is literally killing people who are whistleblowing against it. Acting like a criminal organization. Air travel is highly dangerous and companies like Boeing are not helping the cause.
 
There are a lot of controversies surrounding this airline. It is better to just shut it down for good time. The investigation needs to go down the very roots to solve the mystery surrounding the death of people who were the whistleblowers against it.

What steps have been taken till now?
 
Wait for the news that this guy has also died under mysterious circumstances.

-------------------------------------

Parts supplied to Boeing had 'serious defects' – whistleblower

Fuselages made by Boeing's largest supplier regularly left the factory with serious defects, according to a former quality inspector at the firm.

Santiago Paredes who worked for Spirit AeroSystems in Kansas, told the BBC he often found up to 200 defects on parts being readied for shipping to Boeing.

He was nicknamed "showstopper" for slowing down production when he tried to tackle his concerns, he claimed.

Spirit said it "strongly disagree[d]" with the allegations.

"We are vigorously defending against his claims," said a spokesperson for Spirit, which remains Boeing's largest supplier.

Mr Paredes made the allegations against Spirit in an exclusive interview with the BBC and the American network CBS, in which he described what he said he experienced while working at the firm between 2010 and 2022.

He was accustomed to finding "anywhere from 50 to 100, 200" defects on fuselages - the main body of the plane - that were due to be shipped to Boeing, he said.

"I was finding a lot of missing fasteners, a lot of bent parts, sometimes even missing parts."

Boeing declined to comment.

'Fuss'

Spirit AeroSystems and Boeing have both come under intense scrutiny after an unused door came off a brand new 737 Max shortly after take-off in January, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane. According to investigators, the door had originally been fitted by Spirit, but had subsequently been removed by Boeing technicians to rectify faulty riveting.

The incident prompted the US regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, to launch an audit of production practices at both firms. It found multiple instances where the companies failed to comply with manufacturing control practices.

Mr Paredes told the BBC that some of the defects he identified while at Spirit were minor - but others were more serious.

He also claimed he was put under pressure to be less rigorous.

"They always made a fuss about why I was finding it, why I was looking at it," he said.

"They just wanted the product shipped out. They weren't focused on the consequences of shipping bad fuselages. They were just focused on meeting the quotas, meeting the schedule, meeting the budget… If the numbers looked good, the state of the fuselages didn't really matter," he alleged.

Whistleblowing

Many of Mr Paredes' alleged experiences at Spirit form part of his testimony in legal action that disgruntled shareholders have brought against the firm.

However, in legal documents he is referred to simply as "Former Employee 1". This is the first time Mr Paredes, a former Air Force technician, has spoken publicly.

Before his departure from the firm, Mr Paredes led a team of inspectors based at the end of the 737 Max production line.

A second former quality auditor, Josh Dean, whose claims were also to form part of the lawsuit, passed away last week after contracting a serious bacterial infection.

The lawsuit accuses the company of deliberately attempting to cover up serious and widespread quality failings, and exposing shareholders to financial losses when those failings became exposed. Spirit said it "strongly disagrees" with the assertions in the legal action.

Boeing support

Spirit was once part of Boeing and remains the planemaker's primary supplier. It builds the fuselage for every 737 Max at its factory in Wichita, Kansas, before shipping them to Boeing's own facility in Renton, near Seattle, Washington. It also makes large parts of the 787 Dreamliner.

It is now in a difficult position. It is haemorrhaging cash, and lost $617m (£494m) in the first three months of the year.

Boeing has agreed to provide financial support, and is in talks to buy back its former subsidiary.

Sources within the aerospace giant insist that efforts are under way to address quality concerns at Spirit, and these have succeeded in reducing the number of faults in parts leaving the Wichita factory by around 80%.

Mr Paredes said both companies were aware of the scale of the problem with defects, and that it was discussed at weekly meetings between quality inspectors from both firms.

'Cry for help'

Matters came to a head for Mr Paredes personally, he claimed, when he was ordered by his manager to change the way in which defects were reported, in order to reduce their overall number.

After he protested, he said, he was demoted and removed to another part of the factory.

"I felt I was being threatened, and I felt I was being retaliated against for raising concerns," he said.

Mr Paredes subsequently filed an "ethics complaint" with the company's human resources department, and wrote to Spirit's then chief executive, Tom Gentile.

In that email, he said "I have lost faith on the quality organisation here at Spirit and this is my last cry for help".

Mr Paredes was subsequently reinstated in his leadership role and given back-pay after his complaint was partially upheld. He left the company soon afterwards.

He now maintains he would be reluctant to fly on a 737 Max, in case it still carried flaws that originated in the Wichita factory.

"I'd never met a lot of people who were scared of flying until I worked at Spirit," he said.

And then, being at Spirit, I met a lot of people who were afraid of flying - because they saw how they were building the fuselages."

BBC
 
US says Boeing breached 2021 737 MAX criminal prosecution deal

The U.S. Justice Department said late on Tuesday that Boeing Co (BA.N), had breached its obligations in a 2021 agreement that shielded the planemaker from criminal prosecution over fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.

The Justice Department said in a court filing in Texas that Boeing had failed to "design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the U.S. fraud laws throughout its operations." The Justice Department said Boeing is subject to prosecution, but the government is determining how it will proceed in this matter.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Justice Department declined to comment beyond the court filing, which contained a letter in which it said it told Boeing to explain the nature and circumstances of the breach and actions to address the situation by June 13, which the government shall consider in determining whether to pursue prosecution of Boeing. The department will decide by July 7 about how it will proceed.



Reuters
 
Boeing may face criminal prosecution over 737 Max crashes, US says

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) says it is considering whether to prosecute Boeing over two deadly crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft.

The aviation giant breached the terms of an agreement made in 2021 that shielded the firm from criminal charges linked to the incidents, the DOJ said.

Boeing has denied that it violated the agreement.

The crashes - one in Indonesia in 2018, and another in Ethiopia in 2019 - killed a total of 346 people.

The plane maker failed to "design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the US fraud laws throughout its operations," the DOJ said.

Boeing said it was looking forward to the opportunity to respond to the Justice Department and "believes it honoured the terms of that agreement".

Under the deal, Boeing paid a $2.5bn (£1.98bn) settlement, while prosecutors agreed to ask the court to drop a criminal charge after a period of three years.

The DOJ said Boeing has until 13 June to respond to the allegations and that what it said would be taken into consideration as it decides what to do next.

Relatives of the victims have called for criminal action against the company.

“This is a positive first step, and for the families, a long time coming. But we need to see further action from DOJ to hold Boeing accountable", a lawyer for victims' families Paul G Cassell said in a statement.

Boeing has continued to face intense scrutiny over the safety of its aircraft after an unused door came off a new 737 Max shortly after take-off in January, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane.


BBC
 
this was last week lol:

Boeing CEO David Calhoun’s 45% pay hike to $32.8 million should be rejected, shareholder advisory says​


fortune.com

Boeing CEO David Calhoun's 45% pay hike to $32.8 million should be rejected, shareholder advisory says

CEO David Calhoun’s 45% pay jump from the prior year should be rejected at the company’s annual meeting on May 17, shareholder advising firm ISS said.
fortune.com fortune.com

Lol someone that should be behind bars might end up getting 32.8 million, man Mckinsey , I would open up all the cases against them and make it public knowledge of their consulting.
 

Boeing blocked from increasing 737 MAX production amid ongoing safety concerns​


A ban on crisis-hit Boeing increasing production of its best-selling 737 MAX planes is to continue amid ongoing safety concerns.

US regulators first introduced the restrictions in February - and have now announced they will continue for at least the "next few months".

It comes after officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) held talks with outgoing chief executive Dave Calhoun and other senior figures at the company.

Boeing has been subjected to "enhanced oversight" by regulators after a chunk of fuselage blew out of an Alaska Airlines new 737 MAX 9 plane shortly after take-off.

Concerns have been heightened following a series of other incidents involving the company's planes.

Boeing has also had to face a string of claims from whistleblowers, including an allegation - which the firm has denied - that it had been "putting out defective planes".

The FAA said it would continue with weekly meetings and other scrutiny of the company.

Administrator Mike Whitaker said he did not expect Boeing to win approval to increase production "in the next few months" and said it faced a "long road" to address safety issues.

He added that regulators would monitor quality and safety improvements at the firm "to give us a fundamental picture of whether they are in the right zone".

Mr Whitaker added: "Regardless of how many planes Boeing builds, we need to see a strong and unwavering commitment to safety and quality that endures over time.

"This is about systemic change, and there's a lot of work to be done."

Boeing is said to be currently producing significantly fewer than the 38 737 MAXs per month it is permitted to by the FAA.

The latest development may be viewed as a setback by airlines which are awaiting deliveries of new planes.

They include Ryanair, which previously complained that Boeing's delays were a threat to its growth.

The budget operator warned in March that it would have to tweak some of its summer schedules because the manufacturer was only able to provide 40 out of 57 planned aircraft before the end of June.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said at the time he was "very disappointed" by the delays.

Sky News has approached the airline for comment.

Mr Calhoun is due to leave Boeing by the end of the year as part of a broader shake-up in the wake of the Alaska Airlines incident. His replacement is yet to be announced.

Boeing said it was working on an extensive improvement plan, including to workforce training.

"Many of these actions are underway and our team is committed to executing on each element of the plan," Mr Calhoun said in a statement.

news.sky.com

Boeing blocked from increasing 737 MAX production amid ongoing safety concerns

The aircraft manufacturer has been under intense scrutiny ever since a chunk of fuselage blew out of one of its new planes shortly after take-off earlier this year.
news.sky.com news.sky.com
 

Boeing CEO blasted in US Senate hearing while apologizing for safety woes​

WASHINGTON, June 18 (Reuters) - U.S. senators on Tuesday attacked the CEO of Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab for the planemaker's tarnished safety record, overshadowing his apology to families who lost loved ones in two 737 MAX crashes and acceptance of responsibility after a January mid-air emergency.

Chief Executive Dave Calhoun retained his composure under repeated questioning about how much he is paid, Boeing's safety culture, and why he is not immediately resigning instead of retiring by year's end, at a hearing before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

He faced harsh questioning from Republican Senator Josh Hawley who asked, "why haven't you resigned?" and accused Calhoun of "strip-mining" the company while earning a handsome multimillion-dollar pay package.

The hearing marked the first time Calhoun has faced lawmakers' questions and put the spotlight on Boeing's souring safety reputation and the departing CEO following a management shakeup.

Boeing stock was down nearly 2% at $175.03 late on Tuesday.

Calhoun acknowledged the Alaska Airlines (ALK.N), opens new tab door plug incident on Jan. 5 was the result of a manufacturing defect. Boeing also took responsibility for the development of a key software system linked to the 2018 and 2019 fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia which killed a combined 346 people.

"I am here to answer the questions. I am here in the spirit of transparency and I am here to take responsibility," Calhoun told reporters earlier as he walked into the hearing room.

Senator Richard Blumenthal who chairs the subcommittee told the hearing there is overwhelming evidence that the U.S. Justice Department should pursue prosecution against Boeing.

Prosecutors found in May that Boeing had failed to "design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program" as part of complying with a deferred prosecution agreement following the fatal crashes. Prosecutors have until July 7 to inform a federal judge in Texas of their plans.

Last week, Boeing told the U.S. Justice Department it did not violate a deferred prosecution agreement. The DPA had shielded the company from a criminal charge arising from the crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.

Blumenthal said a new whistleblower has come forward after a hearing with a previous whistleblower in April. Blumenthal said on Tuesday that Sam Mohawk, a current Boeing quality assurance investigator at its 737 factory in Renton, Washington, recently told the panel he had witnessed systemic disregard for documentation and accountability of nonconforming parts.

In a report released by the committee ahead of the hearing, Mohawk said his work handling nonconforming parts became significantly more "complex and demanding" following the resumption of MAX production in 2020 following two fatal crashes involving the model.

The report said Mohawk filed a related claim in June with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Boeing said in a statement that the planemaker is reviewing the claims it heard about on Monday. "We continuously encourage employees to report all concerns as our priority is to ensure the safety of our airplanes and the flying public,” it said.

Boeing also said it has increased the size of its quality team and "increased the number of inspections per airplane significantly since 2019."

Blumenthal called the hearing a "moment of reckoning" for Boeing.

"Boeing needs to stop thinking about the next earnings call and start thinking about the next generation," Blumenthal said.

Since the Jan. 5 mid-air blowout of a door plug on a 737 MAX 9 jet, scrutiny of the planemaker by regulators and airlines has intensified.

The National Transportation Safety Board said four key bolts were missing from the Alaska Airlines plane. The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the incident.

Source: Reuters
 
Mechanic claims sacked for raising Boeing concerns

An aircraft mechanic who was contracted to repair Boeing planes has alleged he was labelled a "snitch" and then sacked for speaking up over safety concerns.

Richard Cuevas claimed he witnessed substandard manufacturing and maintenance work on a crucial section of Boeing 787 aircraft.

Boeing, which has been dogged by questions over whether its safety culture is rigorous enough, said the issues had been investigated and "did not present a safety concern".

Lawyers representing Mr Cuevas alleged he reported critical issues that could create a serious public safety risk and have filed complaints with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

Mr Cuevas, who has worked in the aviation industry for 40 years, was contracted to Spirit Aerosystems, to work on Boeing's 787 forward pressure bulkhead, a dome at the nose of the aircraft which serves as a barrier.

“He recognised the substandard work and expressed concern," Mr Cuevas' lawyers said. "But Spirit and Boeing failed to stop the faulty manufacturing processes."

According to the legal filings a colleague then remarked: “We’ve got a snitch among us.”

Mr Cuevas said he was sacked by Spirit Aerosystems in March 2024.

Boeing told the BBC: “A subcontractor’s employee previously reported concerns to us that we thoroughly investigated, as we take seriously any safety-related matter."

However, the issues raised were found not to present a safety concern and had been addressed, Boeing said.

Spirit Aerosystems spokesperson Joe Buccino, said the firm was "looking into the matter".

"We encourage all Spirit employees with concerns to come forward, safe in knowing they will be protected,” he said.

Mr Cuevas' lawyers Debra Katz and Lisa Banks have previously represented another Boeing whistleblower, Sam Salehpour, who earlier this year told US Congress he had been harassed and threatened after he alleged there were quality problems at Boeing.

Mr Salehpour's concerns were also focused on production of the Boeing 787 model.

That is a different model to the 737 Max which was involved in mid-air cabin blow out in January.

That incident prompted heightened scrutiny of Boeing's safety standards.

In April, Boeing said that it had seen a sharp increase in employees speaking up after it gave assurances there would be no retaliation for doing so.

Boeing said that signalled progress towards "a robust reporting culture".

"We continue to put safety and quality above all else and share information transparently with our regulator, customers and other stakeholders," the company said.

BBC
 

Boeing announces purchase of Spirit AeroSystems for $4.7 billion in stock​


US aircraft manufacturer Boeing said Monday it had reached a “definitive deal” to buy its subcontractor Spirit, which has faced scrutiny over production quality control in recent months.

“The merger is an all-stock transaction at an equity value of approximately $4.7 billion, or $37.25 per share,” the company said in a statement.

Boeing disclosed in March that it was in talks to potentially reacquire Spirit, which it spun off in 2005 to lower costs.

“We believe this deal is in the best interest of the flying public, our airline customers, the employees of Spirit and Boeing, our shareholders and the country more broadly,” said Boeing president and CEO Dave Calhoun.

He said by reintegrating Spirit, “we can fully align our commercial production systems”, including safety and quality management systems, and “our workforce to the same priorities, incentives and outcomes -- centered on safety and quality.”

Spirit AeroSystems builds fuselages and other significant parts for both Airbus and Boeing.

Boeing is by far Spirit’s biggest customer, with around 70 percent of its revenue coming from the American plane maker in 2023.

The two companies have faced intense scrutiny since a near-catastrophic incident in January when a fuselage panel blew off a 737 MAX mid-flight.

 
US safety board to hold hearings on Boeing 737 MAX door incident

The National Transportation Safety Board said on Wednesday it had scheduled 20 hours of hearings over two days on the January Alaska Airlines (ALK.N), opens new tab Boeing 737 MAX 9 in-flight door plug emergency and would review oversight by U.S. safety regulators.

The NTSB said on its website the Aug. 6-7 hearings are set to last 10 hours each day and would focus on Boeing 737 MAX manufacturing and inspections, FAA oversight of Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab and Spirit Aero Systems (SPR.N), opens new tab and events surrounding the removal of the door plug in 2023. The hearing would also review safety management and quality management systems.

Boeing has faced mounting questions after a door panel detached during a Jan. 5 flight on a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9, forcing pilots to make an emergency landing while passengers were exposed to a gaping hole 16,000 feet above the ground. The FAA had grounded all MAX 9 airplanes for several weeks and required safety checks before they could resume flights. The agency also has barred Boeing from expanding MAX production as the agency reviews the planemaker's practices.

The NTSB said previously that four key bolts were missing from the door plug that blew off the Alaska Airlines flight at 16,000 feet. The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the incident.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told Reuters in April she expected witnesses from Alaska, Boeing and Spirit would provide testimony.

The FAA and Boeing referred questions about the hearing to the NTSB. Last month, the NTSB said Boeing could lose its status as a party to the probe after it violated rules by providing non-public information to media and speculating about possible causes.

The NTSB said Boeing would no longer see information produced during its probe and unlike other parties, Boeing would not be allowed to ask questions of other participants at the August hearing.

Elizabeth ****, Boeing's senior vice president of quality, who had made remarks last month that violated the rules is expected to appear at the hearing, the NTSB said last month.

The NTSB said last month it would subpoena Boeing witnesses to appear at the hearing. The NTSB said Wednesday the full investigation will take approximately one year to 18 months from the accident to complete.

REUTERS
 

Boeing faces fresh safety questions after engine fire on flight from Scotland​


Boeing faces fresh questions about the safety of its aircraft after an engine fire on a transatlantic flight from Edinburgh caused an emergency landing soon after takeoff.

Flames were seen by passengers briefly shooting from the engine of a Delta Air Lines 767 soon after it took off for New York in February last year, after a turbine blade broke off during takeoff.

The flames subsided while the plane was airborne but it made an emergency landing at Prestwick airport south of Glasgow, where ground crew noticed fuel leaking from the plane’s right wing.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch, the UK government agency that investigates aviation safety, has written to the Federal Aviation Administration in the US asking it to take action with Boeing, which has its headquarters in Virginia.

The AAIB said the fractured turbine blade damaged five other blades in the engine. Vibrations from the “out of balance turbine” caused a tube carrying fuel in the wing to fracture, leading fuel to escape from the wing’s fuel tank.

The fuel was ignited by the engine’s hot air exhaust, with footage of the flames captured by a passenger sitting near the wing.

In a statement, the AAIB said: “A safety recommendation has been made to the Federal Aviation Administration that requires the Boeing Aircraft Company to demonstrate that following this serious incident, the design of the slat track housing drain tube on the Boeing 767 family of aircraft continues to comply with the certification requirements for large transport aircraft.”

The Delta flight to JFK airport in New York was carrying 211 passengers and 10 crew. It said two members of the cabin crew had heard a rattling sound as the Boeing taxied for takeoff, which appeared to come from the cargo hold.

Nothing abnormal was seen or heard by the pilots, but the noise continued during takeoff. They warned the flights purser, who tried but failed to warn the pilots on the plane’s internal phone. She made contact at the second attempt and said passengers were alarmed by the “quite bad” noise.

A temperature indicator for the right engine began fluctuating. The flight commander walked the length of the aircraft but could not locate any specific issues. He decided to divert the plane to Prestwick, which has long runways, as a precaution.

En route to Prestwick, the flames were filmed by a passenger. The flames disappeared and the commander decided to fly on with the right engine at reduced power.

There were no injuries as a result of the incident but the AAIB said all those onboard were “rapidly disembarked” once the fuel leak was spotted at Prestwick.

Boeing has been contacted for comment.

This is the latest in a series of safety incidents involving Boeing aircraft, which have contributed to company executives leaving in a management shake-up. It pleaded guilty to US criminal charges over the crashes of two 737 Max jetliners in 2018 and 2019 after violating an agreement with regulators in 2021.

It has also been sanctioned after a 737 Max 9 cabin panel blew out in mid-air on an Alaska Airlines flight from Portland, Oregon, in January this year. A number of whistleblowers have gone public with concerns about safety culture and management at the company.

www.theguardian.com

Boeing faces fresh safety questions after engine fire on flight from Scotland

Passengers saw flames soon after flight left Edinburgh for New York in 2023, leading to emergency landing in Glasgow
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top