The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating allegations made by Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour, who claims that the company dismissed critical safety and quality concerns during the production of the 787 and 777 jets.
This investigation adds to Boeing's ongoing safety challenges following a mid-air panel blowout on a 737 MAX plane in January. The company has since undergone a management overhaul, faced production curbs, and seen deliveries drop by half in March.
Salehpour alleges that after raising engineering problems that affected the structural integrity of the jets, he faced retaliation, including threats and exclusion from meetings. He also claims that Boeing took shortcuts to expedite the 787 assembly process, resulting in excessive stress on major airplane joints and embedded drilling debris in over a thousand planes.
Boeing has expressed confidence in the safety of the 787 Dreamliner, stating that the whistleblower's claims are \"inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft.\" Despite these assurances, Boeing shares fell nearly 2 percent following the FAA's confirmation of the investigation.
The FAA emphasized the importance of voluntary reporting without fear of reprisal in maintaining aviation safety. In response to these developments, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal's office announced a hearing titled \"Examining Boeing's Broken Safety Culture: Firsthand Accounts,\" scheduled for April 17. Boeing has offered to provide documents, testimony, and technical briefings to the senate subcommittee, while Salehpour's lawyers have indicated that his documentation will be presented at the hearing.
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Boeing hit with whistleblower allegations, adding to safety concerns
cgtn.com
