Two former employees of Boeing and its key contractor, Spirit AeroSystems, have voiced their determination to expose alleged unsafe practices at Boeing, despite the recent deaths of two whistleblowers connected to the aerospace giant. Roy Irvin, formerly of Boeing, and Santiago Paredes, previously with Spirit AeroSystems, are part of a larger group of at least 20 individuals ready to publicize their concerns about safety and quality lapses at Boeing.
The backdrop to their claims includes a history of whistleblower allegations and rigorous scrutiny by Congress. A 2020 report by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee labeled the two fatal crashes of the 737 MAX in 2018 and 2019 as the “horrific culmination” of “repeated and serious failures” by both Boeing and regulatory bodies.
Adding to the controversy, a recent incident in January involved a fuselage plug detaching from an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX-9 mid-flight. A whistleblower cited by the Seattle Times alleged that the mishap occurred after the fuselage, delivered by Spirit, had a panel improperly reinstalled by Boeing in Renton, Washington, lacking four critical bolts.
Irvin, who worked at Boeing’s North Charleston facility from 2011 to 2017, claimed he consistently encountered significant safety and quality issues with the $250 million 787 Dreamliner aircraft before they were cleared for use. “I pushed back almost every day at serious safety and quality issues,” Irvin said, describing his role as often “insubordinate” due to the frequency of problems he reported. “Missing safety devices on hardware or untightened hardware means that you’re not going to be able to control the airplane if those fail,” he emphasized.
The whistleblower community at Boeing has recently been shaken by the deaths of two of their own. John Barnett, a Boeing whistleblower, was discovered deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in March, while Joshua Dean, formerly of Spirit AeroSystems, succumbed to a severe infection in May. These tragedies have paradoxically spurred more individuals to come forward, with attorney Brian Knowles reporting a surge in contacts from potential whistleblowers.
This ongoing saga casts a shadow over Boeing’s reputation and underscores persistent concerns about safety standards within the aerospace industry.
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