Boeing, the renowned aircraft manufacturer, is currently under investigation by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following allegations made by a whistleblower. The claims assert that Boeing ignored safety and quality concerns during the production of its 787 and 777 jets, according to an agency spokesperson on April 9.
The aviation giant has been grappling with a severe safety crisis that has significantly damaged its reputation since a mid-air panel blowout incident on a 737 Max plane occurred on January 5. As a result, Boeing has undergone a management shake-up, and US regulators have imposed restrictions on its production. The company experienced a 50% decline in deliveries in March.
The allegations made by Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour pertain to his work on the company's widebody 787 and 777 aircraft. Salehpour's lawyers claim that he faced retaliation, including threats and exclusion from meetings, after he identified engineering problems that compromised the structural integrity of the jets. Salehpour also alleged that shortcuts were taken during the assembly process of the 787 aircraft.
In response to the allegations, Boeing halted deliveries of the 787 widebody aircraft for over a year until August 2022 while the FAA investigated quality issues and manufacturing flaws. In 2021, Boeing acknowledged that some 787 planes had improperly sized shims and areas that did not meet skin-flatness specifications. Shims are thin pieces of material used to fill small gaps in manufactured products, while skin-flatness refers to the smoothness and uniformity of an aircraft's outer surface, which directly affects its structural integrity and aerodynamic properties.
Boeing issued a statement expressing full confidence in the 787 Dreamliner and refuting the allegations, stating that they are "inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft."
Salehpour's lawyers revealed that he witnessed the use of shortcuts during the 787 assembly process that placed "excessive stress on major airplane joints" and resulted in drilling debris being embedded between key joints of over 1,000 planes. Salehpour also reported misalignment issues during the production of the 777 widebody aircraft, which were resolved through the use of force.
Following the confirmation of the investigation by the FAA, Boeing's shares closed nearly two percent lower on April 9, reaching US$178.12 (S$239). The FAA emphasized the importance of voluntary reporting in maintaining aviation safety and encouraged individuals in the industry to share information, assuring that all reports are thoroughly investigated.
The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace revealed that Salehpour is a member who works at Boeing's plant in Everett, Washington. However, the engineering union declined to comment on the specific concerns raised by Salehpour.
Furthermore, a Senate investigation subcommittee headed by US Senator Richard Blumenthal will hold a hearing titled "Examining Boeing's Broken Safety Culture: Firsthand Accounts" on April 17, where Salehpour is expected to testify. Blumenthal intends to invite Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun, who announced his plan to step down by the end of the year in March, to testify at a future hearing.
Salehpour has provided documentation to the FAA, which will be made available during the hearing. In a letter dated January 19, Salehpour informed FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker about his observations made while working on the 787 program in 2021. Salehpour's lawyers criticized Boeing for prioritizing speedy market entry of the planes despite the well-substantiated issues he raised.
Since the emergency incident involving Alaska Air on January 5, FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker has taken a firm stance against Boeing. The FAA has barred the company from expanding 737 Max production and mandated the development of a comprehensive plan within 90 days to address "systemic quality-control issues."
Additionally, the US Department of Justice is conducting an investigation to determine if Boeing violated a 2021 settlement that protected the company from prosecution in relation to two fatal crashes involving the Max planes in 2018 and 2019. Prosecutors are expected to rely heavily on the FAA's findings during their assessment of whether Boeing breached the settlement.
Boeing received FAA approval in August 2022 to resume deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner after implementing necessary inspection and retrofit changes to meet certification standards. Currently, there are approximately 1,100 Dreamliners in service, according to Boeing.
波音面臨舉報人指控，加劇安全疑慮
著名飛機製造商波音公司因舉報人提出指控，目前正在接受美國聯邦航空管理局（FAA）的調查。 該機構發言人 4 月 9 日表示，這些指控聲稱波音公司在生產 787 和 777 噴射機期間忽視了安全和品質問題。
自 1 月 5 日發生 737 Max 飛機空中面板爆炸事件以來，這家航空巨頭一直在努力應對嚴重的安全危機，該危機嚴重損害了其聲譽。監管機構對其生產實施了限制。 該公司 3 月的交付量下降了 50%。
波音工程師 Sam Salehpour 提出的指控涉及他在該公司寬體 787 和 777 飛機上的工作。 薩利普爾的律師聲稱，在他發現損害飛機結構完整性的工程問題後，他面臨報復，包括威脅和被排除在會議之外。 薩勒普爾還聲稱，787 飛機的組裝過程中存在走捷徑的情況。
作為對這些指控的回應，波音公司暫停了 787 寬體飛機的交付一年多，直至 2022 年 8 月，同時美國聯邦航空管理局 (FAA) 調查品質問題和製造缺陷。 2021 年，波音公司承認，部分 787 飛機存在著尺寸不當的墊片和不符合蒙皮平整度規格的區域。 墊片是用於填充製成品中小間隙的薄材料，而蒙皮平整度是指飛機外表面的光滑度和均勻度，直接影響其結構完整性和空氣動力性能。
波音公司發表聲明，表達了對787夢幻客機的充分信心，並反駁了這些指控，稱這些指控「不準確，並不代表波音公司為確保飛機品質和長期安全所做的全面工作」。
Salehpour 的律師透露，他目睹了 787 組裝過程中使用捷徑的情況，“對飛機的主要接頭施加了過大的壓力”，導致鑽孔碎片嵌入 1,000 多架飛機的關鍵接頭之間。 Salehpour 也報告了 777 寬體飛機生產過程中出現的錯位問題，該問題透過使用武力解決。
在 FAA 確認調查後，波音股價 4 月 9 日收盤下跌近 2%，至 178.12 美元（239 新元）。 美國聯邦航空局強調自願報告對於維護航空安全的重要性，並鼓勵業內人士分享訊息，確保所有報告都得到徹底調查。
航空航太專業工程員工協會透露，薩利普爾是華盛頓州埃弗里特波音工廠工作的會員。 然而，工程工會拒絕就薩勒普爾提出的具體擔憂發表評論。
此外，由美國參議員理查德·布盧門撒爾領導的參議院調查小組委員會將於4 月17 日舉行題為“檢查波音公司破碎的安全文化：第一手資料”的聽證會，預計薩勒普爾將出庭作證。 布盧門撒爾打算邀請波音公司執行長戴夫·卡爾霍恩 (Dave Calhoun) 在未來的聽證會上作證，戴夫·卡爾霍恩於 3 月宣布計劃在年底前辭職。
Salehpour 已向美國聯邦航空管理局提供了文件，這些文件將在聽證會期間提供。 在1 月19 日的一封信中，薩勒普爾向美國聯邦航空局局長邁克爾·惠特克通報了他在2021 年787 項目工作中的觀察結果。薩勒普爾的律師批評波音公司儘管提出了有充分證據支持的問題，卻仍優先考慮飛機的快速進入市場。
自1月5日阿拉斯加航空發生緊急事件以來，美國聯邦航空局局長邁克爾惠特克對波音公司採取了強硬立場。 美國聯邦航空局 (FAA) 禁止該公司擴大 737 Max 產量，並要求在 90 天內製定一項全面計劃，以解決「系統性品質控制問題」。
此外，美國司法部正在進行調查，以確定波音是否違反了2021 年的和解協議，該協議保護該公司免於因2018 年和2019 年發生的兩起涉及Max 飛機的致命墜機事故而受到起訴。預計檢察官將在很大程度上依賴FAA 的調查結果在評估波音是否違反和解協議期間。
波音公司在實施必要的檢查和改造以滿足認證標準後，於 2022 年 8 月獲得美國聯邦航空局 (FAA) 批准恢復 787 夢幻飛機的交付。 據波音公司稱，目前約有 1,100 架夢幻飛機在服役。
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