Boeing is not out of the headlines: as the aircraft manufacturer announced, employees falsified test reports on the long-haul 787 Dreamliner aircraft, prompting a new investigation by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Inspections of the connection between the fuselage and the wings were partly omitted, but were nevertheless recorded as carried out.
The new investigation was announced by the FAA on Monday. Checks are being made to ensure that the necessary inspections have been carried out – and the authority is also investigating allegations of counterfeiting. The company monitors all 787 Dreamliners on production lines and must also develop an appropriate plan for machines in operation.
Boeing emphasized that it immediately notified the FAA of the violation. A Boeing employee identified a violation of audit requirements and informed management, 787 program manager Scott Stocker wrote in an email to employees. Boeing subsequently discovered that “several people” at the South Carolina plant had failed to perform the required tests but had noted them in the documents as completed. The inspections should now be carried out unplanned. The company emphasized that it was not a pressing safety issue for the current fleet and that no aircraft would need to be grounded.
Hull fragment broken out
Quality supervision at Boeing has received increasing attention since a dramatic incident in early January. Shortly after take-off, a fuselage fragment broke off in row 26 of an almost new Boeing 737-9 Max of the American airline Alaska Airlines. No one was injured because, by a fortunate coincidence, the two seats near the hole in the fuselage remained empty and the plane was still at a relatively low altitude.
The FAA then asked Boeing to submit a plan to improve quality controls. The authority also blocked Boeing’s planned expansion of production of the 737 Max until further notice.
Also problems with 787
The 787 program was recently discussed at a hearing in the US Senate. According to a Boeing employee who acted as a whistleblower, many aircraft of this type were allowed to have excessively large gaps between the fuselage parts, which could shorten the lifespan of the machines. Boeing emphatically denies these allegations.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
