Federal air safety regulators are investigating Boeing for possible misconduct, including falsified tests related to the bonding and grounding of wings on certain 787 Dreamliner planes. Boeing is re-inspecting all 787 airplanes in production and addressing the in-service fleet. The investigation was prompted by employees not performing required tests and recording them as completed. The company claims this misconduct did not pose an immediate safety risk.
Federal authorities are investigating Boeing following whistleblower Sam Salehpour's claims of manufacturing shortcuts and potential risks with the 777 and 787 Dreamliner jets. Salehpour's complaint, filed with the FAA, emphasizes quality issues that could shorten the planes' lifespan. The FAA stated it investigates all whistleblower reports and encourages industry-wide information sharing. A Senate subcommittee will address these concerns in a hearing. Boeing refuted Salehpour's 787 safety concerns, asserting its commitment to aircraft quality and safety measures.
Boeing is under scrutiny for a recent string of safety problems, including a Dreamliner aircraft diving mid-flight, a Boeing 777-300 turning around due to maintenance issues, and a whistleblower, John Barnett, found dead. Multiple airlines have reported troubles due to Boeing's challenges, with Southwest Airlines cutting capacity and United Airlines changing its order to Max 9s instead of Max 10s. The FAA audit revealed Boeing failed to comply with quality-control mandates, adding to the company's existing safety concerns stemming from previous fatal crashes and production issues.
Boeing is under scrutiny for safety issues in its commercial airplanes, highlighted in a critique by John Oliver linking safety compromises with shareholder value prioritization. Following previous crashes, Boeing failed multiple FAA audits and received a 90-day deadline to improve. Recent incidents include a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner nosedive from Sydney to Auckland causing injuries to 50 passengers.
In 2013, the second year of service for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a widebody jet airliner, several aircraft suffered from electrical system problems stemming from its lithium-ion batteries. Incidents included an electrical fire aboard an All Nippon Airways 787 and a similar fire found by maintenance workers on a parked Japan Airlines 787 at Boston's Logan International Airport. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a review into the design and manufacture of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, followed by a full grounding of the entire Boeing 787 fleet, the first such grounding since that of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 in 1979. The plane has had two major battery thermal runaway events in 52,000 flight hours, which was substantially less than the 10 million flight hours predicted by Boeing, neither of which were contained safely.The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a report on December 1, 2014, and assigned blame to several groups:GS Yuasa of Japan, for battery manufacturing methods that could introduce defects not caught by inspectionBoeing's engineers, who failed to consider and test for worst-case battery failuresThe Federal Aviation Administration, that failed to recognize the potential hazard and did not require proper tests as part of its certification process
Boeing whistleblower Sam Salehpour testified about safety shortcuts and compromised structural integrity in Boeing's 787 Dreamliners, leading to fears of defective airplanes. Another whistleblower, Ed Pierson, raised concerns about missing paperwork after an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX flight incident. Congressional hearings revealed a broken safety culture and pressure on workers to speed up production. Boeing is under three separate investigations by US authorities and is undergoing a management shake-up, with the CEO set to depart. The company denied claims of compromising safety standards.
A Senate subcommittee has opened an investigation into the safety of Boeing jetliners following whistleblower allegations about the integrity of fuselages on two of its largest planes. Boeing is defending the fuselages, emphasizing the strength of the 787 Dreamliner's carbon-composite skin over conventional aluminum fuselages. Whistleblower Sam Salehpour raised concerns about potential fatigue and cracking due to excessive force during panel fitting. Boeing executives detailed the assembly process to refute these claims ahead of Salehpour's testimony before a congressional panel.
Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour, a whistleblower, claims the 787 Dreamliner is unsafe to fly due to assembly flaws, potentially leading to catastrophic outcomes. Salehpour insists the plane could fall apart midflight if safety problems are not addressed. Boeing disputes the claims, asserting that the 787 Dreamliner is safe. Salehpour is expected to testify before a U.S. Senate subcommittee about the alleged safety issues. The FAA is investigating Salehpour's claims. Salehpour calls for halting production and inspecting the entire worldwide fleet, emphasizing the importance of addressing potential premature failure.
Boeing is under scrutiny for fostering an unsafe safety culture, cutting corners for profit, and retaliating against employees voicing safety concerns. Sam Salehpour, a Boeing quality engineer and whistleblower, testified at a Congressional hearing about threats and retaliation he faced for raising issues about the 787 Dreamliner jet's safety. Salehpour claimed that deficiencies in the Dreamliner's production process could lead to midair breakage. His supervisor allegedly threatened violence, indicating a hostile environment for whistleblowers at Boeing.
Boeing whistleblowers, Sam Salehpour and Ed Pierson, testified before Congress on safety concerns at the company. Salehpour, a Quality Engineer, claimed sections of the 787 Dreamliner jets were not properly secured and faced threats for raising issues. Pierson, ex-Boeing manager, accused the company of a 'criminal cover-up' regarding an Alaskan Airlines flight incident. Pierson revealed records exist of maintenance work on the flight's door despite Boeing's denial. Both whistleblowers highlighted safety lapses and alleged cover-ups within Boeing.
Boeing provided Alaska Airlines with $61 million in supplier credit memos as additional compensation for the temporary grounding of 737 MAX 9 jets following a mid-air emergency in January. This compensation is in addition to the $162 million cash provided earlier in the first quarter. United Airlines, another affected customer, is also being compensated by Boeing. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation identified crucial bolts missing from the panel that blew out, leading to wider investigations into Boeing's production processes.
A recent incident involving a Latam Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight plunging may have been caused by a mistake in the cockpit where a flight attendant inadvertently activated a motorized feature that pushed the pilot into the controls, causing the plane to nose dive. Dozens of passengers were injured during the plunge, with some thrown to the ceiling. Investigations by aviation authorities from New Zealand, Australia, and Chile are ongoing to determine the cause. Boeing, facing safety concerns, has not commented on the incident.
Boeing has instructed airlines to check switches on pilots' seats in its 787 Dreamliner jets following reports of an accidental cockpit seat movement causing a sudden descent of a LATAM Airlines plane flying to New Zealand. Incidents involving technical events on Chilean planes flying between Sydney and Auckland have resulted in injuries to over 20 people and cancellations of flights.
John Barnett, a former Boeing employee and whistleblower, was found dead in Charleston, South Carolina, in what appears to be a suicide. Barnett had raised concerns about safety issues with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and faced retaliation from the company. His death comes amid ongoing legal action against Boeing and scrutiny over production standards. Boeing expressed sadness over Barnett's passing, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation. Barnett's attorneys highlighted his integrity and dedication to his family, friends, and colleagues.
The Boeing 737 MAX is the fourth generation of the Boeing 737, a narrow-body airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, a division of American company Boeing. It succeeds the Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) and competes with the Airbus A320neo family.The new series was announced on August 30, 2011. It took its maiden flight on January 29, 2016 and was certified by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in March 2017. The first delivery was a MAX 8 in May 2017 to Malindo Air, with which it commenced service on May 22, 2017.The 737 MAX is based on earlier 737 designs, with more efficient CFM International LEAP engines, aerodynamic changes including distinctive split-tip winglets, and airframe modifications.The 737 MAX series has been offered in four variants, offering 138 to 204 seats in typical two-class configuration, and a range of 3,300 to 3,850 nautical miles [nmi] (6,110 to 7,130 km; 3,800 to 4,430 mi). The 737 MAX 7, MAX 8, and MAX 9 are intended to replace the 737-700, -800, and -900 respectively, and a further-stretched 737 MAX 10 is available. However, as of February 2024, the MAX 7 and MAX 10 have not been certified, with the FAA declining to provide a timetable for approval. As of January 2024, the 737 MAX has 4,759 unfilled orders and 1,445 deliveries.The 737 MAX suffered two fatal crashes, Lion Air Flight 610 in late 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in early 2019, in which a total of 346 people died. Contributing to the accidents was the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which activated unexpectedly due to erroneous angle of attack data, and remained active because of pilot error due to inadequate training. The aircraft was subsequently grounded worldwide from March 2019 to November 2020, with the FAA garnering criticism for being the last major authority to ground it. Investigations found Boeing did not fully inform operators about MCAS and found shortcomings in the FAA's certification process for the aircraft. The accidents and grounding cost Boeing an estimated US$20 billion in fines, compensation and legal fees as of 2020, with indirect losses of more than US$60 billion from 1,200 cancelled orders. In 2021, Boeing also paid US$2.5 billion in penalties and compensation to settle the DOJ's fraud conspiracy case against the company. Further investigations also revealed that the FAA and Boeing had colluded on recertification test flights, attempted to cover up important information and that the FAA had retaliated against whistleblowers.The FAA cleared the aircraft to return to service on November 18, 2020, subject to mandated design and training changes. Canadian and European authorities followed in late January 2021. Chinese authorities were among the last to lift the grounding in December 2021, at which time, over 180 countries out of 195 had cleared the 737 MAX to return to service.In January 2024, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 suffered a door plug blowout at an unused emergency exit during the climb, causing uncontrolled decompression of the aircraft. The FAA immediately mandated a grounding and inspections of all 737 MAX 9 with a similar configuration; affected aircraft were returned to service starting at the end of that month. The investigation found the plug was not bolted into place during manufacturing.
Boeing is threatening to lock out its private force of firefighters in the Seattle area if they do not accept the company's last offer on wages, citing precautionary measures due to the possibility of a strike. The labor showdown comes amid Boeing's significant losses and safety concerns. The union is seeking higher raises than what Boeing proposed, with a major point of contention being the time it takes for firefighters to reach the top pay scale. Boeing has lodged a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board over the negotiations.
Boeing has locked out 125 firefighters in the Seattle area and brought in replacements after failed wage agreement negotiations with the firefighters union. The company states the lockout will not affect operations. The union accuses Boeing of undervaluing the firefighters' work and risking safety. The negotiations have been ongoing for 2 1/2 months, with Boeing offering wage increases but falling short of the union's demands for a 40-50% raise. A key point of contention is the proposed 19-year wait for top pay scale, opposed to the union's proposal of five years.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an American wide-body jet airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.After dropping its unconventional Sonic Cruiser project, Boeing announced the conventional 7E7 on January 29, 2003, which focused largely on efficiency.The program was launched on April 26, 2004, with an order for 50 aircraft from All Nippon Airways (ANA), targeting a 2008 introduction.On July 8, 2007, a prototype 787 without major operating systems was rolled out; subsequently the aircraft experienced multiple delays, until its maiden flight on December 15, 2009.Type certification was received in August 2011 and the first 787-8 was delivered in September 2011 before entering commercial service on October 26, 2011, with ANA.At launch, Boeing targeted the 787 with 20% less fuel burn than replaced aircraft like the Boeing 767, carrying 200 to 300 passengers on point-to-point routes up to 8,500 nautical miles [nmi] (15,700 km; 9,800 mi), a shift from hub-and-spoke travel.The twinjet is powered by General Electric GEnx or Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 high-bypass turbofans. It is the first airliner with an airframe primarily made of composite materials and makes extensive use of electrical systems. Externally, it is recognizable by its four-window cockpit, raked wingtips, and noise-reducing chevrons on its engine nacelles.Development and production rely increasingly on subcontractors around the world than previous Boeing aircraft, with final assembly at the Boeing South Carolina factory, after being assembled in the Boeing Everett Factory in Washington until March 2021.The initial 186-foot-long (57 m) 787-8 typically seats 242 passengers over a range of 7,355 nmi (13,621 km; 8,464 mi), with a 502,500 lb (227.9 t) MTOW compared to 560,000 lb (250 t) for later variants.The stretched 787-9, 206 ft (63 m) long, can fly 7,635 nmi (14,140 km; 8,786 mi) with 290 passengers; it entered service on August 7, 2014, with ANA.The further stretched 787-10, 224 ft (68 m) long, seating 330 over 6,430 nmi (11,910 km; 7,400 mi), entered service with Singapore Airlines on April 3, 2018.Early 787 operations encountered several problems caused mainly by its lithium-ion batteries, which culminated in fires onboard some aircraft. In January 2013, the U.S. FAA grounded all 787s until it approved the revised battery design in April 2013.Significant quality control issues from 2019 onwards caused a production slowdown and, from January 2021 until August 2022, an almost total cessation of deliveries. Due to ballooning production costs, Boeing has spent $32 billion on the program; estimates for the number of aircraft sales needed to break even vary between 1,300 and 2,000.As of January 2024, the 787 program has booked a total of 1,908 orders and made 1,111 deliveries while recording zero fatalities and no hull losses.
Joshua Dean, a former Spirit AeroSystems employee, died after contracting a sudden illness. Dean testified against Spirit in a shareholder lawsuit, accusing the company of poor quality control in producing Boeing's 737 Max. Spirit's unorthodox practices, including using Dawn soap on a 737 Max door seal, came under scrutiny. Dean was fired for pointing out defects in fuselages. This incident follows the death of another Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, in March during his deposition against Boeing.
Oil sprayed from an All Nippon Airways plane as it landed at Shin Chitose airport in northern Japan, with no injuries to the 213 people on board. The nonflammable oil evaporated upon contact with a hot engine, resembling smoke. The incident did not compromise safety, and the cause is under investigation. ANA flight 71, a Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner, safely landed from Tokyo with 204 passengers and nine crew members. The Chitose city fire department responded, closing a runway temporarily for oil removal. Other recent incidents involving Japan Airlines and Korean Air are also mentioned.
Over 50 people were injured when a LATAM Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner experienced severe turbulence during a flight from Australia to New Zealand. The plane took a sudden nosedive, causing passengers without seatbelts to be thrown from their seats, resulting in broken roof panels and injuries. Some passengers described the experience as a 'violent' and 'hectic' situation. The airline stated that those injured received immediate assistance, with some passengers expressing dissatisfaction with the communication from LATAM. Chilean aviation authorities are investigating the incident, and flight data recorders are being analyzed for further insights.
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