This hearing follows one held on April 17, in which four whistleblowers spoke about safety problems in the production of three of the four commercial aircraft currently produced by Boeing.
The head of the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing, who is to leave his post at the end of the year, will testify on June 18 before an investigative committee of the US Senate about the aircraft manufacturer’s production problems. Announced Wednesday in a press release, this hearing follows the one held on April 17, in which four whistleblowers spoke about safety issues in the production of three of the four commercial aircraft currently produced by Boeing (737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner and 777).
“I look forward to hearing Mr. Calhoun’s testimony, which is a necessary step to correct Boeing’s mistakes, to regain public confidence and to restore the group’s central position in the American economy and national defense”noted Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, chairman of the investigative commission, quoted in the press release. “We welcome the opportunity to be heard by the commission of inquiry to share the actions we have taken and will continue to take to strengthen safety and quality and ensure that commercial aviation remains the safest form of transport.”commented the group to AFP.
Production problems throughout 2023
Boeing has had production problems through 2023 on several of these models. But an in-flight incident on Jan. 5 on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 ignited the situation. Several audits and investigations, including one by the US Civil Aviation Administration (FAA), have identified several problems with “non-compliance” and defects, especially in quality control.
On May 30, the group submitted a “comprehensive action plan” required in late February by the FAA to remedy these problems. Meanwhile, the regulator has notably frozen the production rate of the 737 MAX, its flagship aircraft. Another consequence: at the end of March, the chairman of the board and the head of the commercial aviation division were replaced with immediate effect, and the departure of Dave Calhoun at the end of 2024 was announced.
And in mid-May, the Justice Department assessed that Boeing had not “failed to fulfill its obligations” as part of a so-called deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) entered into in 2021 relating to two accidents in 2018 and 2019 that caused 346 deaths. He said the group faces criminal charges in federal court in Texas. The aircraft manufacturer must respond by June 13.
