2024 should actually be a good year for Boeing. Instead, there have been a lot of glitches so far. The US aviation safety authority has now given a miserable report on this. Confidence in Boeing continues to decline.
American Airlines pilot Dennis Tajer was asked on CNBC how much more he would think about today before getting into the cockpit of a Boeing plane compared to last year. More than ever before, was his answer.
Boeing aircraft often saved his life when he was still in the military, says Tajer. The enemy was outside the machine. But now he has the feeling that the enemy is on the plane.
Anyone who flies frequently probably doesn’t like hearing that, especially from a pilot. But the aircraft giant Boeing has been making headlines again and again since January as a breakdown company – ever since the flight of a 737 Max 9 that lost part of the cabin including a window.
“Immediate action taken”
After the incident, the FAA, the American aviation authority, took immediate action, said its boss, Michael Whitaker, at a press conference. Safety will continue to be the top priority. However, the latest reviews of Boeing’s production processes have shown that Boeing’s bestseller, the 737 Max short-haul aircraft, fails more than a third of the tests.
When asked by CBS whether the company still builds safe planes, Whitaker said the FAA certifies the planes manufactured under its supervision are safe.
Problems with suppliers
However, the Boeing review also revealed problems with a supplier’s work steps. This is reported by the New York Times, which cites an internal presentation from the FAA. For example, technicians from Spirit Aero Systems, the company that makes the Boeing 737 fuselage, checked the seal of an aircraft door using a hotel key card. How serious such abnormalities are is still unclear.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg demands on Fox News that Boeing’s operations must continue to be very strictly controlled. At the same time, he is also trying to take some of the pressure off the matter: Buttigieg believes that road safety should also be addressed with the same rigor. About as many Americans would lose their lives every day as could fit in a 737.
Ex-manager commits suicide
However, the death of John Barnett this week is also attracting even more attention to the problems at Boeing. According to police, the 62-year-old former Boeing manager probably committed suicide. He had repeatedly publicly criticized his old employer – because of alleged security deficiencies.
From day one, it was all about the schedule, Barnett told NBC in 2019. “Hurry up, get ready, get planes out” – that was all that mattered. Those responsible at Boeing would not have had time to deal with other problems.
On the day of his death, Barnett was scheduled to testify in another Boeing whistleblower case. A connection between his death and the situation at Boeing has not been proven. The aircraft manufacturer has expressed its condolences to Barnett’s family and friends.
Regardless, Boeing’s future remains uncertain.
Isabell Karras, ARD Washington, tagesschau, March 13, 2024 10:00 p.m