FAA Investigates Whistleblower’s Claims About Boeing Flaws

Facts

• Amid safety concerns about its planes, Boeing faces increased scrutiny after a company engineer filed a report with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), accusing the firm of taking shortcuts during the assembly of its 787 and 777 jets.¹
• According to a letter sent to the FAA in January, lawyers for Boeing's quality control engineer Sam Salehpour claimed that the shortcuts resulted in 'drilling debris left in interfaces and deformation of composite material.'²
• Though the New York Times first reported on the alleged manufacturing defects with the Boeing aircraft when it interviewed Boeing whistleblowers in 2019, Salehpour had already voiced his concerns to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.³
• Salehpour claimed that sections of the fuselage of the 787 Dreamliner risked breaking apart mid-flight due to improper fastening. He told the Times that he faced repeated retaliation from Boeing whenever he raised concerns about the aircraft's safety.⁴
• After reporting issues with the 787, he was transferred to work on the 777. He found additional problems with the plane's fuselage alignment and accused the company of coercing its engineers to approve subpar or uninspected work.⁵
• Boeing was forced to halt deliveries of the Dreamliner in 2021 after the FAA ordered it to inspect the gaps during the jet's fuselage assembly process. The company maintains its aircraft are safe to fly.⁵

Sources: ¹BBC News, ²CBS, ³NBC, ⁴New York Times and ⁵CNN.

Narratives

• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Democracy Journal. For years, there have been whistleblower leaks and FAA warnings about the safety of Boeing's planes — those concerns came to a head after a door plug blew out on an Alaska Airlines flight in January. Boeing's greed and fixation on profits led the company to cut corners on quality control and created a culture of intimidation. Numerous whistleblowers have spoken out against Boeing's reaction to safety hazard reports, but the company is clearly more concerned with keeping mouths shut than it is with safety.
• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by US EPA. The past few months haven't been great for Boeing, but the aerospace giant can implement simple reforms to restore its reputation. By following in the footsteps of companies like GE, Boeing can recommit to the quality of its aircraft and start investing in its future. As one of the leaders in the aerospace industry, Boeing got a little too cocky, but recent developments can serve as a reminder that even the most successful companies aren't immune to challenges. By tweaking its approach, Boeing can soar above this controversy.

Predictions