Boeing Faces FAA Deadline to Address Quality Concerns
In a recent announcement, the head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Mike Whitaker, has demanded that Boeing develop a comprehensive plan to resolve “systemic quality-control issues” within 90 days. This comes after a mid-air emergency last month raised renewed safety concerns. The FAA is holding Boeing accountable for making real and profound improvements in their quality control processes. CEO Dave Calhoun has expressed the company’s commitment to addressing these concerns and developing a plan that demonstrates the necessary changes.
The urgency for this plan stems from an incident on January 5th, where a door panel detached from a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 during flight, forcing an emergency landing. Passengers were exposed to a gaping hole 16,000 feet above the ground. This incident has prompted Boeing to scramble in explaining and strengthening their safety procedures.
This latest demand from the FAA raises questions about how long the production rate freeze on Boeing’s operations will last. Lawmakers and customers have closely scrutinized the company since the January incident. The FAA’s statement emphasizes that Boeing’s plan must incorporate the forthcoming results of an FAA production-line audit and findings from an expert review panel report released earlier this week.
The expert review panel report, commissioned in early 2023, was highly critical of Boeing’s safety management processes. It highlighted “inadequate and confusing implementation of the components of a positive safety culture” within the company. As a result, Boeing removed Ed Clark, the head of its troubled 737 MAX program, as part of a management shakeup last week.
The FAA’s demand also requires Boeing to improve its Safety Management System (SMS) program, which the company committed to in 2019. They must combine this with a Quality Management System to create a measurable and systemic shift in manufacturing quality control. Mr. Whitaker emphasizes that safety should be the guiding principle for Boeing, and they must reevaluate every aspect of their quality-control process.
This is the second major crisis for Boeing in recent years, following the crashes in 2018 and 2019 that led to a 20-month grounding of the 737 MAX. The recent incident with the door panel on the MAX 9 has further amplified concerns about safety within the company. Airline industry executives have expressed frustration with Boeing’s quality control, while Airbus, the only other major manufacturer of commercial jets, has maintained its position as the top manufacturer against Boeing for the fifth consecutive year.
The door panel incident led to a weeks-long grounding of the MAX 9 and has angered Boeing’s airline customers. Some airlines, including Alaska Airlines, have announced enhanced quality oversight of planes before they leave the Boeing factory.
Boeing now faces a tight deadline to develop a plan that addresses the FAA’s concerns and demonstrates a commitment to improving their quality control processes. The aviation industry will be closely watching how Boeing responds to this demand and whether they can restore confidence in their aircraft safety.
