FAA Report Faults Boeing's Safety Culture

Facts

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in a report published Monday faulted Boeing's safety management culture for recent incidents involving its 737 MAX planes. The report highlights a 'disconnect' between the management and employees.¹
The US aviation watchdog's 50-page report was based on a panel's finding that included a lack of 'skillful awareness' among a majority of employees on various reporting systems.²
The panel's 27 findings include Boeing's failure to make safety reporting non-punitive. The FAA added that the firm doesn't take enough pilot input for its programs, making 53 recommendations.³
FAA's criticisms were issued despite reported improvements Boeing has made since the two crashes involving the 737 Max 8 jet — in 2018 and 2019 — that killed 346 people.⁴
The expert panel found that the implementation of Boeing's improvements had been 'inadequate and confusing.' The report comes weeks after a fuselage piece blew off a 737 MAX 9 on Jan. 5 in Oregon.⁵
The FAA grounded around 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft after the January incident. Some of the planes are back flying again, but there's uncertainty surrounding Boeing's safety guarantees.⁶

Narrative A, as provided by The Hill. Safety is the lifeblood of any aviation company, so criticism of Boeing is warranted. But what it really needs right now is a solid path to improvement rather than being decimated. Patience and perseverance from regulators, the government, and the public are key because it's important to keep a US-based company like Boeing going.
Narrative B, as provided by Washington Post. After the 2018 and 2019 tragedies on its planes, Boeing seems to have prioritized profitability over safety. Comments by CEO Dave Calhoun exposed a rot in the heart of the company, and it's facing a long road to regaining the trust of the government and the public. It can start by being more transparent when it has issues.