U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, left, as Boeing engineer Sam Salepour arrives for the “Examining Boeing’s Broken Safety Culture: First-hand Accounts” hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Senate The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations paid tribute to him during his testimony.
Drew Angerer | AFP | Getty Images
boeing companyThe company’s safety and quality came under renewed criticism at two Senate hearings on Wednesday, as the manufacturer faces increasing scrutiny after a mid-air door burst in January and a plane nearly caused a disaster. .
A Boeing engineer-turned-whistleblower testified before a Senate panel, reiterating his allegation that the planemaker cut corners to move wide-body jets onto the production line despite flaws. Sam Salehpour claims the company failed to adequately fill tiny gaps where the 787 Dreamliner fuselage meets, which could “ultimately lead to premature fatigue failure without any warning,” according to his testimony. Gaskets are thin materials used to fill tiny gaps.
“I believe Boeing can do better and that public trust in Boeing can be restored,” he told a Senate Homeland Security Committee subcommittee ahead of the hearing “Examining Boeing’s Broken Safety Culture: First-hand Accounts.” Good speech.
Boeing has denied the accusations, calling them inaccurate, and defended the plane and its testing. The company briefed reporters for about two hours on Monday about exhaustive fatigue testing of its 787 and 777 aircraft and said it found no safety risks.
Scott Kirby, CEO United AirlinesA major Dreamliner operator on Wednesday dismissed concerns about the plane.
“I have every confidence that the 787 is a safe airplane,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
Nonetheless, on January 5, a door panel of a Boeing 737 Max 9 exploded, Alaska Airlines The flight, which took place at an altitude of 16,000 feet, once again thrust Boeing’s safety culture into the spotlight and sparked a crisis for the manufacturer. Boeing’s new plane deliveries have slowed as the Federal Aviation Administration intensifies scrutiny of the company’s production lines.
Boeing Chief Executive Dave Calhoun said last month he would resign by the end of the year, as the company replaced the head of its commercial airplanes division and its board chairman.
A separate hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday discussed issues with Boeing’s safety culture, after a report earlier this year by a congressionally ordered panel found that Boeing’s senior management was in conflict with other members of the organization. There is a “disconnect” in safety culture.
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