Boeing, the aerospace giant, is under intense scrutiny following a series of safety concerns raised by whistleblowers and investigative reports. The latest controversy involves the 787 Dreamliner planes and allegations of production shortcuts that could potentially compromise their structural integrity.
Sam Salehpour, a Boeing engineer with over a decade of experience, testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's investigations subcommittee on April 17, 2024. He detailed his concerns about manufacturing shortcuts that could lead to planes breaking apart during flights.
Mr. Salehpour stated that Boeing introduced these shortcuts in an attempt to address bottlenecks in the production process of the 787 Dreamliner planes. He claimed that these changes affected how sections of the aircraft were fastened together, potentially putting lives at risk.
The engineer faced punishment for raising his concerns and even believed a tire was punctured as a form of retaliation while he was at work. Mr. Salehpour's allegations come after Boeing acknowledged manufacturing changes on the 787 program but maintained that the durability of the airframe was not affected.
Ed Pierson, a former Boeing manager, also testified before the Senate panel and criticized both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for ignoring manufacturing issues at Boeing until an incident occurred. The FAA is currently investigating Boeing in response to these concerns.
The safety culture at Boeing has been under scrutiny since two crashes of the 737 Max jets killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019. MIT aeronautics lecturer Javier de Luis, who lost his sister in one of these crashes, commented on the disconnect between management's words about safety and workers' observations on the factory floor.
Boeing has been under pressure to improve its safety culture and address concerns raised by whistleblowers. The company invited reporters to its South Carolina factory to reassure the public of the safety of its 787 Dreamliner planes, but these efforts have not quelled growing concerns about Boeing's manufacturing practices.
