A new problem for Boeing. Already dealing with the 737 MAX crisis, the airline giant faces a new emergency: One of its engineers, Sam Salehpour, has accused it of taking shortcuts to speed up production, which could leave structural defects in the 787 and 777. Heavy accusations punish Boeing stock on Wall Street, where it ended up losing more than 1.40%.
Salehpour detailed his accusations against the American authorities in a letter addressed to the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Mike Whitaker. These include the fact that there are currently nearly a thousand 787s in flight and about 400 777s at risk of structural failure. FAA spokesman Ian Gregor commented simply, “We carefully review all safety-related information.”
The engineer will also testify in the next few days in Congress during a hearing called by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal to “examine the safety culture within Boeing by focusing on first-hand accounts” about the company. Boeing pledged to cooperate with Congress and provide the necessary documents for a comprehensive review. While confirming its cooperation, the airline giant categorically rejected the accusations of its engineer: “We have full confidence in the 787 Dreamliner. The accusations related to its structural integrity are not substantiated.”
Boeing expressed similar confidence in the “safety and durability of the 777 aircraft.” These accusations represent a new strong blow to Boeing, which was recently involved in a new series of accidents with 737 MAX aircraft, raising new concerns about the safety of its planes. In January, the door of an Alaska Airlines 737 exploded in flight, grounding several 737 Max 9 planes in the United States. A dramatic episode that brought the company back into a deep crisis after forgettable 2018 and 2019, when two Boeing Max 8 planes crashed, killing nearly 350 people. The investigation, which began after the Alaska Airlines crash, revealed that Boeing failed 33 of 88 checks in the 737 MAX production run, worsening an already complex picture.
In an effort to move forward, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun last month announced his exit at the end of 2024. Boeing's commercial aircraft chief, Stan Deal, and Chairman of the Board, Larry Kellner, also bid farewell. A radical change in the structure through which Boeing hopes to restore its reputation and look forward after years spent stopping a series of crises that made it tremble. This is not an easy task that will fall on the shoulders of the new CEO, whose identity has not yet been determined.
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