Boeing has outlined its plan to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday, addressing the series of safety and quality issues that have recently tarnished its manufacturing reputation. This move comes as a response to an FAA mandate, following a January incident where a fuselage panel blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight, fortunately resulting in no injuries.
The midair mishap involved a relatively new Boeing 737 Max 9, with accident investigators finding that bolts securing the panel to the aircraft’s frame were missing. This incident is among the latest in a series of setbacks that have not only damaged Boeing’s reputation but also triggered multiple civil and criminal probes.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker met with senior leaders from Boeing and afterward stated, “Today, we reviewed Boeing’s roadmap to set a new standard of safety and underscored that they must follow through on corrective actions and effectively transform their safety culture.” He emphasized continued oversight, declaring, “On the FAA’s part, we will make sure they do and that their fixes are effective. This does not mark the end of our increased oversight of Boeing and its suppliers, but it sets a new standard of how Boeing does business.”
Amidst these challenges, whistleblowers have raised concerns about the aircraft manufacturer’s practices, alleging that safety-compromising shortcuts are being taken—claims Boeing contests. An FAA-appointed panel also highlighted deficiencies in Boeing’s safety culture.
In response to these concerns, Whitaker had earlier given Boeing a 90-day deadline to devise a comprehensive quality and safety enhancement plan. The FAA has since restricted Boeing’s production of the 737 Max, which is currently its top-selling model, maintaining this cap until satisfactory progress is evident.
Over the past three months, the FAA has engaged in 30- and 60-day reviews with Boeing to ensure the company clearly understands and meets regulatory expectations. The required actions set by the FAA include enhancing its Safety Management System and employee safety reporting, streamlining processes, improving supplier oversight, boosting employee training, and stepping up internal audits.
These issues come in the wake of potential criminal implications for Boeing, linked to the fatal crashes of two Max jetliners in 2018 and 2019. The Justice Department has recently indicated that Boeing may have breached a 2021 settlement designed to avert prosecution for fraud, centered on misleading regulators about a flight-control system involved in those crashes.
Boeing’s challenges extend beyond the Max series, with issues also plaguing the 787 Dreamliner, the Starliner space capsule, a military refueling tanker, and the new Air Force One jets. Amidst these production woes, Boeing has pledged to restore regulator and public confidence, even as it trails behind Airbus and faces financial strains due to these setbacks.
The company is now focusing on reducing “traveled work” — tasks performed out of their intended sequence — and tightening oversight of key supplier Spirit AeroSystems, in a bid to realign its operations with industry standards and expectations.