A U.S. senator responsible for aviation matters is calling on the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure transparency and accountability in Boeing’s efforts to improve quality.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat who chairs a subcommittee on aviation, emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in Boeing’s safety and quality assurances. This comes after Boeing submitted a comprehensive quality improvement plan last Thursday, following a directive from FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker in February to address “systemic quality-control issues” within 90 days.
Whitaker had a phone conversation with Duckworth on Monday and will be present on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to update members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. As of now, neither the FAA nor Boeing have provided immediate comments on the matter.
“Last week, Whitaker emphasized the importance of a strong and unwavering commitment to safety and quality from Boeing, regardless of the number of planes they build. He emphasized the need for systemic change and acknowledged that there is still a lot of work to be done.
In February, Whitaker prohibited Boeing from increasing production of its popular 737 MAX plane after a door panel incident on a flight operated by Alaska Airlines. He stated that he does not anticipate Boeing gaining approval to increase production in the next few months and has not yet had any discussions with the company regarding this issue.
Boeing has now revealed six critical areas in production that will be addressed with a focus on safety. These areas include employee proficiency, the time taken to address issues, the total number of rework hours per airplane, and supplier shortages.”
According to Boeing, the data will offer immediate and valuable insights into the health of their production system. This will enable the company to detect and address potential quality and safety risks before they escalate. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun, who recently had a lengthy meeting with Whitaker, is expected to step down by the end of the year as part of a larger management restructuring following the Alaska Airlines incident. However, Boeing has not yet announced a successor.