Regulating Body Proposes Penalty of $3.1 Million against Boeing Due to Widespread Safety Infractions
In a series of recent developments, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken a hard stance against Boeing, citing numerous safety violations. The FAA's criticism, announced in June 2023, includes allegations of quality assurance failures at Boeing's 737 production plant, the presentation of non-airworthy aircraft for certification, and compromising the independence of safety officials. This has led to fines and production restrictions for the aviation giant. One of the most concerning incidents involved a Boeing employee pressuring another employee to sign off on a Boeing 737 MAX airplane, despite the first employee determining that the aircraft did not comply with standards. The FAA has given Boeing 30 days to respond to the proposed penalties. However, Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, and Alaska Airlines have declined to comment on the matter. The FAA's scrutiny of Boeing extends beyond just the 737 production. A government watchdog report issued in October criticized FAA oversight of Boeing, stating that it does not have an effective system to oversee production factories. The report also highlighted allegations of undue pressure on Boeing employees acting on FAA's behalf, which the FAA has not been able to resolve. The FAA's concerns are not new. An audit of Boeing from last year found 97 incidents of noncompliance. Hundreds of quality system violations were discovered at Boeing's 737 factory in Renton, Washington, and Boeing subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems' 737 factory in Wichita, Kansas, from September 2023 through February 2024. The FAA's concerns were further heightened by a mid-air cabin blowout incident involving a new Alaska Airlines MAX airplane missing four key bolts. This incident led to a grounding of the MAX 9 for two weeks and a production cap of 38 planes per month by the FAA. As of now, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford has not made a decision on lifting the production cap. The FAA continues to inspect each 737 MAX and 787 aircraft before an airworthiness certificate is issued and cleared for delivery. The FAA typically delegates airplane ticketing authority to the manufacturer, but continues to do so for Boeing. The accident prompted the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation into Boeing. The FAA has also stated that Boeing presented two unairworthy aircraft to the FAA for airworthiness certificates. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also criticized Boeing for inadequate training, guidance, and oversight. Boeing, however, continues to work on strengthening its safety culture and improving quality and accountability across operations. The FAA has maintained enhanced in-person oversight of Boeing production since early 2024. Despite these efforts, the Justice Department has declared that Boeing is not in compliance with a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement.
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