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☆ Boeing whistleblower who warned of aircraft safety flaws found dead
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Patrick Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A Boeing 737 MAX sits outside the hangar during a media tour of the Boeing 737 MAX at the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington. In a statement Monday, Boeing said: "We are saddened by Mr. Barnett's passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends." A former Boeing quality inspector who filed a whistleblower complaint over alleged plane safety flaws was found dead "from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound," officials in Charleston, South Carolina, said Monday. Boeing said then that it was following the ruling and would look to improve the design of the nut, but also said it wasn't a flight safety issue. After his retirement in 2017, Barnett filed a whistleblower complaint to federal regulators about his experiences at the South Carolina plant.

Persons: Barnett, Mitch, , Barnett's, Bobbi Jo O'Neal, John Barnett, —, I'd, John, Vicky Melder Stokes, Mike Barnett, Robbie Barnett, Rodney Barnett Organizations: Boeing, Boeing, NBC, The New York Times, FAA, Times, Department, Alaska Airlines, Max, Prevention Locations: Renton , Washington, Charleston , South Carolina, Charleston County, South Carolina, Charleston, Sydney, Auckland , New Zealand

☆ On the 5th anniversary of a fatal 737 Max crash, victims’ families want more focus on Boeing’s potential safety problems
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Even though the same jet model had crashed soon after taking off from Indonesia less than six months earlier, aviation authorities around the world had allowed the 737 Max to keep flying with passengers. A third incidentThis year, on January 5, a part of a 737 Max 9 flown by Alaska Airlines blew out, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane. Boeing’s production problems went beyond the design flaw that led to the crashes. “Within days of the first crash, Boeing knew there was a design defect,” Robert Clifford, one of the plaintiff attorneys in the case, told CNN. Last month, Boeing removed executive Ed Clark, the head of its 737 Max passenger jet program.

Persons: New York CNN — Michael Stumo’s, Samya Rose Stumo, ”, “, ” Michael Stumo, Michael Stumo Samya Rose, Max, Michael Stumo, We’d, ” Stumo, ” Zipporah, Joseph, ‘ something’s, ’ ” Joseph Kuria, Olivia Kuria, “ It’s, haven’t, Kruia, ” Kuria, ” Robert Clifford, people’s, Olivier Douliery, Dave Calhoun, Ed Clark, Stephen Brashear, Eduardo Soteras, David Calhoun, Mike Delaney, ” Joseph, Zipporah, Dennis Muilenburg, Calhoun, Stumo, “ I’m, Kuria, there’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Boeing, Max, CNN, Copenhagen School of Public Health, Ethiopian, Alaska Airlines, National Transportation Safety Board, Alaska, Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, Alaska Airlines Flight, Alaska Air, ”, US Justice Department, FAA, Justice Department, Getty, Ethiopian Airlines, Lion Air, Airline Pilots, Association of Ethiopia Locations: New York, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Indonesia, Alaska, Portland , Oregon, Arlington , Virginia, AFP, ”, Renton , Washington, Washington

☆ NTSB rips Boeing for failing to produce key door plug documents
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Gregory Wallace | Pete Muntean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Boeing has not turned over important records to investigators probing the door plug blowout on a 737 Max earlier this year, investigators say. She testified that because of Boeing’s actions, NTSB investigators do not know who on the Boeing assembly line removed and reinstalled the door plug that – months later while the plane was in service carrying passengers – blew out. Homendy said that Boeing has not fully cooperated with the NTSB Board's investigation into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 door plug incident. The plane flew about 150 commercial flights before the door plug flew off the plane mid-flight on January 5, just over two months ago. NTSB investigators have made multiple visits to Boeing facilities and created a special team to handle requesting and processing documents from Boeing and its key contractor, Spirit AeroSystems.

Persons: Jennifer Homendy, Homendy, Kevin Dietsch, ” Homendy Organizations: CNN, Boeing, Transportation, Commerce, U.S . National Transportation Safety Board, Senate Commerce, Science, Russell Senate, NTSB, Alaska Airlines, Getty, Federal Aviation Administration Locations: Renton, Washington ,

☆ N.T.S.B. Says Boeing Has Not Provided Key Information in 737 Max Inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Mark Walker | More About Mark Walker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board told a Senate committee on Wednesday that Boeing was dragging its feet in providing some information to the agency as it investigates what caused a door panel to come off an Alaska Airlines plane during a flight in January. Boeing has a team of 25 employees and a manager who handle doors at the Renton plant, Ms. Homendy told the Senate committee. The manager has been on medical leave, and the agency had been unable to interview that person, Ms. Homendy said. She added that Boeing had not provided the safety board with the names of the other 25 employees. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Jennifer Homendy, Homendy, ” Organizations: National Transportation Safety Board, Boeing, Alaska Airlines, Senate Commerce Committee Locations: Alaska, Boeing’s, Renton, Wash

“The FAA identified non-compliance issues in Boeing’s manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product control,” the FAA said in a press release, but did not immediately provide further details. The FAA said the findings of both this audit and the separate report should be part of Boeing’s quality improvement plan. But in January Boeing CEO David Calhoun conceded Boeing needed to improve its quality controls. Without giving details, the FAA said it found multiple instances where both companies allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements. The agency is not the only government body looking into Boeing’s quality issues.

Persons: David Calhoun, ”, Calhoun, “, Mike Whitaker, Jennifer Homendy Organizations: Washington DC CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, Alaska Airlines ’ Boeing, FAA, Boeing, Spirit, Max, National Transportation Safety, Alaska Air, NTSB, Justice Department, Alaska, Senate Locations: Renton , Washington

Spirit Aerosystems had a market capitalization of $3.3 billion as of Thursday's close. "We do not comment on market speculation," a spokesperson for Spirit Aerosystems told CNBC. Boeing in 2005 spun off operations in Kansas and Oklahoma that became the present-day Spirit Aerosystems. It comes less than two months after a section of a Boeing 737 Max 9 plane blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight. It was the latest and most serious in a host of flaws on the Boeing 737 Max, Boeing's best-selling jet.

Persons: Aerosystems, Spirit Aerosystems, Boeing's, Max Organizations: Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc, Boeing, Spirit, CNBC, Airbus, Wall Street, Max, Alaska Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board Locations: Wichita , Kansas, U.S, Kansas, Oklahoma, Boeing's Renton , Washington

☆ F.A.A. Gives Boeing 90 Days to Develop Plan to Address Quality-Control Issues
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Mark Walker | More About Mark Walker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday that it had asked Boeing to provide the agency with a “comprehensive action plan” to address quality-control issues within 90 days, the regulator’s latest push for safety improvements after a panel came off a Boeing 737 Max 9 jet in flight in early January. administrator, Mike Whitaker, made the request on Tuesday when he met with Boeing’s chief executive, Dave Calhoun, and other company officials for what the agency described as an “all-day safety discussion.”“Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements,” Mr. Whitaker said in a statement. “Making foundational change will require a sustained effort from Boeing’s leadership, and we are going to hold them accountable every step of the way, with mutually understood milestones and expectations.”Boeing did not immediately comment on Wednesday. The meeting, which took place at the F.A.A.’s headquarters in Washington, came two weeks after Mr. Whitaker toured Boeing’s 737 plant in Renton, Wash. During his visit, Mr. Whitaker spoke with Boeing engineers and mechanics to try to get a better sense of the safety culture at the factory. said after his visit that Mr. Whitaker planned to discuss what he saw during his visit when he met with Boeing executives in Washington.

Persons: Mike Whitaker, Dave Calhoun, ”, Mr, Whitaker Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, Max, ” Boeing Locations: Washington, Boeing’s, Renton, Wash

☆ FAA gives Boeing 90 days to come up with quality control plan after 737 Max accident
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 Max airplanes parked on the tarmac at the Boeing Factory in Renton, Washington, on March 21, 2019. The door plug was removed and reinstalled at Boeing's Renton, Washington 737 Max factory. The FAA is in the middle of an audit of Boeing's 737 production lines. The agency last month said it would halt Boeing's planned ramp-up of 737 Max planes until the regulator is satisfied with quality control on the company's production lines. The report was required by Congress following two crashes in 2018 and 2019 of Boeing 737 Max planes, which killed everyone on board the flights.

Persons: Bolts, Mike Whitaker, Dave Calhoun, Max Organizations: Boeing, Max, Boeing Factory, Federal Aviation Administration, Alaska Airlines, FAA Locations: Renton , Washington, Renton, Washington

☆ Boeing's board shut down a shareholder's bid to move its headquarters back to Seattle
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Boeing's board denied a possible vote on bringing its headquarters back to Seattle. It's currently based in Virginia, but the 737 Max factory is in Renton, Washington. AdvertisementBoeing's board of directors blocked a shareholder's proposal to bring its headquarters back to Seattle, The Seattle Times reported. The manufacturer has faced increased scrutiny since a 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines lost a door plug in midair. The newspaper reported he bought the shares after the first 737 Max 8 crash.

Persons: Boeing's, It's, Max, —, Walter Ryan —, Ryan, Tim Matsui, John Demers Organizations: Boeing, Service, The Seattle Times, Alaska Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration, Max, Seattle Times, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Business Locations: Seattle, Virginia, Renton , Washington, Chicago

☆ FAA had 'no presence' in Boeing's factory, despite its headquarters being 20 minutes away, former employee says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewA Boeing whistleblower who quit over concerns about the company's 737 Max production told Politico that the FAA had "no presence" at the factory he worked in. Two months after Pierson's resignation, a Lion Air Boeing 737 Max crashed into the sea in October 2018, killing all 198 people on board. The company faced backlash again in January of this year after a door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 blew off mid-flight . Pierson told the publication. AdvertisementPierson told Politico that he still feels unsafe on Boeing Max planes — so much so that he refuses to fly on them.

Persons: —, Max, Ed Pierson, Calhoun, Pierson, Dave Calhoun, JASON REDMOND, That's Organizations: Service, Boeing, Politico, FAA, Lion Air Boeing, Business, Ethiopian Airlines, New York Times, NBC News, Alaska Airlines Boeing, Max, CNBC, Alaska Airlines, Boeing Renton Factory, Getty, Foundation for Aviation Safety, Boeing Max, FFA Locations: Renton , Washington, AFP, Northwest, Seattle, New York, Alaska, Wichita , Kansas

☆ Boeing 737 Max Official Is Out as Questions Linger on Mishap
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Sydney Ember | Niraj Chokshi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Boeing said on Wednesday that it was shaking up the leadership in its commercial airplanes unit after a harrowing incident last month during which a piece fell off a 737 Max 9 jet in flight. Ed Clark, the head of Boeing’s 737 Max program, which includes the Max 9, is leaving immediately, Stan Deal, the chief executive of the commercial airplanes unit, said in a memo to employees. Boeing, which also announced other leadership changes, has been under pressure from regulators, airlines and members of Congress to prove that it is committed to making safe planes. Boeing said recently that it was overhauling its quality control process, including increased inspections at the factory in Renton, Wash., where Mr. Clark oversaw Max production. Those crashes cost Boeing billions of dollars, damaged its image and attracted more scrutiny of the company from regulators worldwide.

Persons: Ed Clark, Stan Deal, Clark, Max Organizations: Boeing, Alaska Airlines, Max Locations: Renton, Wash, Alaska

A person walks past an unpainted Boeing 737-8 MAX parked at Renton Municipal Airport adjacent to Boeing's factory in Renton, Washington on January 25, 2024. The company's 737 program head, Ed Clark, is leaving the company, Stan Deal, CEO of Boeing's commercial airplane unit, said in memo to employees. "Ed departs with my, and our, deepest gratitude for his many significant contributions over nearly 18 years of dedicated service to Boeing," Deal said. A month after the Alaska Airlines flight, Boeing said misdrilled holes on some Max planes would delay handovers of the aircraft to airlines. The door plug that blew out of the almost brand-new 737 Max 9 used for Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 has already brought increased scrutiny and restrictions from federal regulators.

Persons: Max, Ed Clark, Stan Deal, Katie Ringgold, Deal, Elizabeth Lund, Lund, Ed, it's Organizations: Renton Municipal Airport, Boeing, Alaska Airlines, National Transportation Safety, Federal Aviation Administration, Airbus, CNBC PRO Locations: Renton, Renton , Washington, Alaska, United

☆ With no Boeing passenger jets at the Singapore Airshow, Airbus and China take centerstage
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 MAX airplanes parked on the tarmac at the Boeing Factory in Renton, Washington, U.S. March 21, 2019. SINGAPORE — Boeing will not be bringing any commercial planes to the Singapore Airshow, shifting the spotlight for passenger jets to rival Airbus as well as China's homegrown offering. While there will be aerial displays of commercial liners by Airbus and China's domestic jetliner Comac C919, Boeing will not have any commercial aircraft at the air show. While no commercial jets will be featured, Boeing will still be holding a cabin display of its wide-body 777X passenger plane, which the company claims is the world's largest twin-engine jet. This is the first major international aerospace event since the blowout last month, which pushed Boeing into another safety crisis after the U.S. safety regulators ordered the temporary grounding of more than 170 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes.

Persons: Max, Lockheed Martin, Thales, scuffling Organizations: Boeing, Boeing Factory, SINGAPORE — Boeing, Singapore, Airbus, U.S . Air Force, Lockheed, Dassault, SAAB, Leonardo, Max, Alaska Airlines Locations: Renton , Washington , U.S, SINGAPORE, Portland , Oregon

☆ Boeing orders, deliveries dry up in January as plane-maker grapples with latest Max crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 MAX airplanes parked on the tarmac at the Boeing Factory in Renton, Washington, U.S. March 21, 2019. The company handed over 27 planes last month, its lowest tally since September, compared with 67 deliveries in December. It sold three Boeing 737 Max planes, but also logged three cancellations. The three gross orders come after a big December when Boeing sold 371 planes. Boeing's January deliveries included three Max planes to Chinese customers, the first in about four years.

Persons: Max, Dave Calhoun, Calhoun, Mike Whitaker, Whitaker Organizations: Boeing, Boeing Factory, Airbus, Alaska Airlines, National Transportation Safety, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, CNBC Locations: Renton , Washington , U.S, Portland , Oregon, Renton , Washington, Renton

☆ Alaska Airlines 737 May Have Left Boeing Factory Missing Bolts, N.T.S.B. Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Sydney Ember | Mark Walker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The panel, known as a door plug, was opened to repair damaged rivets on the plane’s body, known as the fuselage. The report did not say who removed the bolts keeping the door plug in place. But the safety board said it appeared that not all the bolts were put back once the door was reinstalled on the plane after the rivets had been repaired. provided a photograph of the door plug after it was reinstalled but before the plane’s interior was restored. In the image, three of the four bolts appear to be missing.

Organizations: Alaska Airlines, National Transportation Safety Board, Boeing Locations: Alaska, Boeing’s, Renton, Wash

☆ We’re about to get investigators’ first report on the Alaska Airlines flight whose door plug blew off
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Pete Muntean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The National Transportation Safety Board will release its preliminary report Tuesday on last month’s blowout of a part of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 flight, NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss told CNN. On a January 5 Alaska flight 1282, the door plug blew off the side of the plane. The door plug fills a space in the fuselage that can otherwise contain an emergency exit door when plane seats are arranged a certain way. CNN has reported that NTSB investigators have been closely scrutinizing the door plug and whether crucial bolts that hold it in place were properly installed when the incident occurred. Meanwhile, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration will tell House lawmakers Tuesday that his agency is “closely scrutinizing” Boeing after last month’s door plug blowout.

Persons: Eric Weiss, Mike Whitaker, Whitaker, “, ” Whitaker, ” Organizations: CNN, Transportation, Alaska Airlines Boeing, Max, Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, NTSB, FAA Locations: Alaska, United States, Renton , Washington

Boeing reported another problem with fuselages on its 737 jets that might delay deliveries of about 50 aircraft in the latest quality gaff to plague the manufacturer. Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal said in a letter to Boeing staff seen Monday that a worker at its supplier discovered misdrilled holes in fuselages. Spirit AeroSystems, based in Wichita, Kansas, makes a large part of the fuselages on Boeing Max jets. Alaska Airlines and United Airlines have begun returning some to service. Boeing, based in Renton, Washington, said last week it was withdrawing a request for a safety exemption needed to certify a new, smaller model of the 737 Max airliner.

Persons: Stan Deal, Deal, Max Organizations: Boeing, Boeing Commercial, Boeing Max, Alaska Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration, United Airlines, airline, FAA Locations: fuselages, Wichita , Kansas, Portland , Oregon, U.S, Renton , Washington

☆ New problem found on Boeing 737 Max planes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Chris Isidore | Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —A new problem has been found during the production of 737 Max jets that will force Boeing to rework about 50 planes that have not yet been delivered. The problem was disclosed in a memo sent to Boeing (BA) employees Sunday by Stan Deal, the head of the company’s commercial aircraft unit. An employee at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, which makes the fuselages of the 737 Max jets, notified the plane maker that two holes may not have been drilled exactly to Boeing’s requirements, according to Deal’s memo. While the exact cause of the incident is not yet known, Boeing CEO David Calhoun told investors on Wednesday: “We caused the problem, and we understand that.”“Whatever conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened. “We simply must be better.”Deal’s Sunday memo said Boeing’s 737 Max factory in Renton, Washington would “dedicate several days … this week to focus on this important work, reflecting the premium we place on quality, safety and, ultimately, stability in our factories.”

Persons: Stan Deal, David Calhoun, Max Organizations: New, New York CNN, Boeing, Spirit, Max, Alaska Airlines Locations: New York, ”, Renton , Washington

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Veteran NFL coach Leslie Frazier is expected to join the Seattle Seahawks as an associate head coach, two people with knowledge of the hire told The Associated Press on Friday. The move pairs the youngest head coach in the NFL with Frazier, who has experience as an assistant and head coach in the league. Frazier, 64, spent last season out of the NFL following a stint from 2017-22 when he was the defensive coordinator in Buffalo. Frazier also had one stint as a head coach in Minnesota. Frazier and Macdonald overlapped for one season in Baltimore in 2016 when Frazier was working as the secondary coach and Macdonald was a defensive assistant.

Persons: Leslie Frazier, Frazier, Mike Macdonald, Frazier’s, Macdonald, ” Macdonald, Rob Maaddi, ___ Organizations: — Veteran NFL, Seattle Seahawks, Associated Press, NFL, NFL Network, Philadelphia, Minnesota, NFC, Seattle, AP Pro Football Locations: RENTON, Wash, Buffalo, Cincinnati , Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Green, Baltimore

☆ We now have more details on what happened with the Alaska Airlines door plug — and how Boeing plans to address quality issues
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Bloomberg has reported new details about what may have caused the Alaska Airlines door plug blowout. AdvertisementNew details have emerged regarding how the door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 blew off the jet mid-flight earlier this month. The investigation is focused on four bolts that hold the door plug in place. Boeing CEO says door plug installation will have inspections "at every turn"According to Boeing, 129 have been ungrounded as of midday on Wednesday. The agency has halted Boeing's 737 Max production expansion while it addresses quality control lapses.

Persons: Dave Calhoun, —, Max, AeroSystems, Ingrid Barrentine, Justin Sullivan, Calhoun, We've, I've, Max fuselages Organizations: Bloomberg, Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Service, Alaska Airlines Boeing, Max, National Transportation Safety, Seattle Times, New York Times, US National Transportation, Business, NTSB, Federal Aviation Administration, BI, United Airlines, FAA Locations: Alaska, Renton , Washington, Renton, Wichita

☆ Boeing was once known for safety and engineering. But critics say an emphasis on profits changed that
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +22 min

Boeing is back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons again after the Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 incident. Boeing workers participating in a "Quality Stand Down" at Boeing's 737 Max factory in Renton, Washington on January 25, 2024. One of the first Boeing 737 Max jets on the production line at the company's manufacturing facility in Renton, Washington, U.S., on Monday, Dec. 7, 2015. The airlines around the world that have already bought Boeing planes basically need to keep using those models, whatever the problems. Commercial pilots are certified on specific models and are not able to easily move from single-aisle to widebody versions of Boeing jets, let alone between a Boeing and an Airbus jet.

Persons: I’m, Dave Calhoun, we’ve, ”, “, Calhoun, Max, Jason Redmond, Stan Deal, Ed Pierson, McDonell Douglas, Critics, ” Ron Epstein, McDonnell Douglas, Jim McNerney, Tammy Duckworth, Aaron Schwartz, ‘ We’re, Richard Aboulafia, Joshua Drake, Boeing Calhoun, Bank of America’s Epstein, it’s, Pierson, Max ”, Robert Clifford, people’s, ” Calhoun, David Ryder, Aboulafia, Boeing’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Boeing, Alaska Airlines, National Safety Transportation Board, Pilots, Max, Alaska Air, Getty, Foundation for Aviation Safety, CNN, “ Boeing, Bank of America, General Electric, Procter, Gamble, McKinsey, Co, GE, Associated, Pentagon, Capitol, FAA, Airbus, Joshua Drake Photography, Blackstone Group, Nielsen, Bank of, Aviation, Bloomberg, Ethiopian Aircraft Accident, US National Transportation Safety Board, Internal Locations: New York, Renton , Washington, AFP, Alaska, Soviet Union, Pacific, Chicago, Seattle, Washington, DC, Mobile , Alabama, Wichita, Oklahoma, Carolina, South Carolina, Calhoun, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Renton , Washington , U.S

☆ Airlines Hoping for More Boeing Jets Could Be Waiting Awhile
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Sydney Ember | Santul Nerkar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Boeing hoped 2024 would be the year it would significantly increase production of its popular Max jets. Since then, details have emerged about the jet’s production at Boeing’s facility in Renton, Wash., that have intensified scrutiny of the company’s quality control. Boeing workers opened and then reinstalled the panel about a month before the plane was delivered to Alaska Airlines. The directive is another setback for Boeing, which had been planning to increase production of its Max plane series to more than 500 this year, from about 400 last year. It also planned to add another assembly line at a factory in Everett, Wash., a major Boeing production hub north of Seattle.

Persons: Max Organizations: Boeing, Federal Aviation Administration, Max, Alaska Airlines, Portland International Locations: Oregon, Renton, Wash, Everett, Seattle

The official, Mike Whitaker, said the FAA would not agree to any Boeing request to expand production of Max planes until the agency is satisfied that quality-control concerns have been addressed. The move came on the same day that a key senator indicated that Congress will join the scrutiny of Boeing. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident on an Alaska Airlines Max 9. Investigators are building a timeline of the door plug that failed, from the early stages of its production to the flight on which it blew off the plane. The Federal Aviation Administration is looking into whether Boeing and its suppliers followed proper safety procedures during manufacturing.

Persons: Mike Whitaker, Max, Sen, Maria Cantwell, David Calhoun, jetliner, Cantwell, Calhoun, ” Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Boeing, Max, Federal Aviation Administration, Alaska Airlines Boeing, FAA, Senate Commerce, Science, Transportation Committee, National Transportation Safety, Alaska Airlines Max, NTSB Locations: Oregon, Portland , Oregon, Renton , Washington

☆ Boeing Reinstalled Panel That Later Blew Out of 737 Max Jet
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Sydney Ember | Mark Walker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Nearly three weeks after a hole blew open on a Boeing 737 Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight, terrifying passengers, new details about the jet’s production are intensifying scrutiny of Boeing’s quality-control practices. About a month before the Max 9 was delivered to Alaska Airlines in October, workers at Boeing’s factory in Renton, Wash., opened and later reinstalled the panel that would blow off the plane’s body, according to a person familiar with the matter. The employees opened the panel, known as a door plug, because work needed to be done to its rivets — which are often used to join and secure parts on planes — said the person, who asked for anonymity because the person isn’t authorized to speak publicly while the National Transportation Safety Board conducts an investigation. The request to open the plug came from employees of Spirit AeroSystems, a supplier that makes the body for the 737 Max in Wichita, Kan. After Boeing employees complied, Spirit employees who are based at Boeing’s Renton factory repaired the rivets. Boeing employees then reinstalled the door.

Persons: Max, — Organizations: Boeing, Max, Alaska Airlines, National Transportation, Spirit Locations: Boeing’s, Renton, Wash, Wichita, Kan

☆ Workers who build Boeing 737s will stop for a day to take lessons on quality control
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

On Thursday, factory workers will pause production for sessions on improving quality control. The FAA's boss said its investigation focuses on Boeing's quality control, not the door plug design. Nobody was seriously injured, but all 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 jets with a door plug have been grounded since. AdvertisementNEW: FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker tells me its probe of the Alaska Airlines blowout is focused on Boeing quality control issues. The 737 Max 9 door plug design is good "when properly executed," but "where we are looking now is quality assurance and quality control at Boeing."

Persons: —, Stan Deal, CNN's Pete Muntean, Mike Whitaker, Max, Pete Muntean, Ben Minicucci, United's Scott Kirby Organizations: Boeing, Alaska Airlines, Service, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Navy, Max, National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, United Airlines, NBC Locations: Renton , Washington

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