The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced on Thursday that it will hold a hearing next Wednesday with members of an expert panel that released a critical report on Boeing's safety culture in February.
The hearing comes amid a significant safety crisis for the U.S. airplane manufacturer, following a mid-air collision involving a new 737 MAX 9 in January. This incident has severely impacted Boeing's reputation, leading to a management shakeup, regulatory production curbs, and a 50% drop in aircraft deliveries in March.
Three panel members will testify, including Tracy Dillinger, a NASA expert on safety culture; Javier de Luis, an aeronautics expert at MIT; and Najmedin Meshkati, a professor at the University of Southern California specializing in aviation safety.
Senator Maria Cantwell, chair of the committee, expressed her support for the panel's findings, stating she intends to consult with members before potentially calling the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for a subsequent hearing.
Boeing has declined to comment on the upcoming hearing.
The panel's report was commissioned by Congress following the fatal 737 MAX crashes in Indonesia in 2018 and Ethiopia in 2019, which collectively claimed 346 lives, including the sister of panel member Javier de Luis.
The report highlighted several shortcomings in Boeing's safety culture, noting a \"lack of awareness of safety-related metrics at all levels of the organization\" and an \"inadequate and confusing implementation of the components of a positive safety culture.\"
Additionally, the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations is set to hear testimony from Boeing whistleblower and engineer Sam Salehpour. Salehpour alleges that Boeing dismissed safety and quality concerns during the production of its 787 and 777 jets, which Senator Richard Blumenthal described as indicative of a \"broken safety culture.\" Blumenthal has also requested that outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun testify in a future hearing.
Boeing responded to Salehpour's claims by expressing confidence in the safety of its 787 aircraft and stating that the allegations \"are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft.\"
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U.S. Senate committee to hold hearing on Boeing safety culture report
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