Questions have swirled around Boeing after whistleblowers came forward with accusations of concerning safety violations. Boeing has been plagued by mishaps that involve equipment failure in its commercial aircraft.
Scarily enough, this includes losing a door in midair during a commercial airline flight. Insiders and various whistleblowers have since claimed the company has ignored safety issues despite warnings from employees.
The head of Boeing faced a harsh grilling from members of Congress this week amidst an inquiry into problems with the company. Senators and the company top official clashed during a Senate hearing.
From The Hill:
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun faced bipartisan heat Tuesday as he sat for his first congressional testimony nearly six months after the door plug of a Boeing 737 Max 9 blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.Calhoun, who announced in March he was stepping down at the end of the year, sought to assure senators his company was serious about improving its safety and quality practices amid ongoing investigations by the Justice Department and federal regulators.
That claim before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations didn’t go over well with senators or the whistleblower allegations provided during the hearing.
Subcommittee Chair Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) released new whistleblower allegations that could contradict Boeing’s commitment to making the promised changes.
Sam Mohawk, a Boeing quality assurance inspector, alleged the company improperly handled faulty parts, that those parts were likely installed on airplanes including the 737 Max, and that the company retaliated against him when he raised concerns.
The subcommittee also heard from Sam Salehpour, another Boeing quality engineer, in April. He alleged that fuselage pieces of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner were not being fused together properly, which could cause the plane to crack open in midair after extensive use.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), ranking member on the subcommittee, said he was “disappointed” that major airlines – which are Boeing’s customers – have declined to testify before the committee. It makes sense that these companies would want to explain their quality and maintenance systems to assure the American public that all is well when traveling at 30,000 feet in the air.
Key Takeaways:
- Senators grilled the Boeing CEO over safety issues and whistleblower retaliation.
- Boeing has faced various safety mishaps that whistleblowers said were avoidable.
- Senators doubted promises from the CEO that safety issues were being addressed.
Source: The Hill
