Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun testified before Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations on June 18, 2024
CEO apologized for Boeing's mistakes regarding hidden nonconforming parts in 737 Max jets
Whistleblower claimed approximately 80% of these parts were moved to avoid FAA inspectors
Boeing, the aerospace giant, has been under intense scrutiny following a series of safety lapses and crashes involving its 737 Max jetliners. On Tuesday, June 18, 2024, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations to address these concerns. The hearing came after a whistleblower claimed that Boeing hid evidence of nonconforming parts being used in 737 Max jets and moved approximately 80% of them to avoid Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors.
Calhoun apologized to the families of crash victims for the company's mistakes, stating that Boeing is
Approximately 80% of the nonconforming parts were moved to avoid FAA inspectors
A whistleblower claimed nonconforming parts were being used in 737 Max jets and Boeing hid evidence of this situation from FAA inspectors
Accuracy
Boeing says it has taken steps to improve safety culture, slow production, encourage employee reporting of concerns, stop assembly lines for safety talks, and appointed a retired Navy admiral to lead a quality review
Deception
(30%)
The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of Boeing's CEO apologizing to crash victims and defending the company's safety record. It does not report any counterarguments or criticisms of Calhoun or Boeing during the hearing. The article also uses emotional manipulation by describing the grief of crash victims and their families, which may sway readers' emotions towards sympathizing with Calhoun and Boeing.
The CEO appeared before the Senate investigations subcommittee, which is chaired by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a Boeing critic.
Calhoun responded, ‘I am proud of every action we’ve taken.’
Calhoun sat at the witness table and fidgeted with his eyeglasses as Blumenthal spoke.
Senators asked Calhoun if Boeing retaliated against employees who reported concerns and if he had ever spoken directly with any whistleblowers. He replied that he hadn’t but said he would.
Fallacies
(85%)
The author makes an appeal to emotion by mentioning the relatives of people who died in the crashes and the family of a Boeing whistleblower. This is an appeal to pity fallacy.
“This hearing is a moment of reckoning.”
“It’s about a company, a once iconic company, that somehow lost its way.”
Bias
(95%)
The article does not contain any clear examples of political, religious, ideological or monetary bias. However, the author does use language that could be perceived as depicting Boeing executives in a negative light by describing them as 'cutting corners', 'eliminating safety procedures', and 'stripping-mining' the company. The author also quotes Sen. Josh Hawley repeatedly questioning CEO David Calhoun about his salary, implying that he is only focused on profit and not safety.
Frankly sir, I think it’s a travesty that you’re still in your job.
The number of unacceptable parts has exploded since production of the Max resumed following the crashes. He said the increase led supervisors to tell him and other workers to ‘cancel’ records that indicated the parts were not suitable to be installed on planes.
You’re focused on exactly what you were hired to do, which is that you’re cutting corners. You are eliminating safety procedures. You are sticking it to your employees. You are cutting back jobs because you’re trying to squeeze every piece of profit you can out of this company.
Boeing CEO David Calhoun apologized to families of crash victims at a Senate hearing
Calhoun told families Boeing is ‘totally committed’ to future aircraft safety
Accuracy
Boeing is 'totally committed' to future aircraft safety
Calhoun acknowledged certain failings at Boeing but maintained pride in the company’s safety record
Approximately 80% of the nonconforming parts were moved to avoid FAA inspectors’ watchful eyes
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The author uses inflammatory rhetoric by quoting Senator Blumenthal's statement 'for a while, some started believing that Boeing had changed, but then this past January, the facade literally blew off the hollow shell that had been Boeing’s promises to the world.' This is an example of an appeal to emotion fallacy as it attempts to elicit an emotional response from readers rather than providing logical reasoning. The author also uses a dichotomous depiction by describing Boeing as 'once iconic company known for engineering excellence and product prowess that somehow lost its way' and later as 'hollow shell that had been Boeing’s promises to the world.' This creates a false dichotomy between the past and present state of Boeing. The author also quotes Senator Hawley accusing Calhoun of 'strip mining' the company for profit, which is an example of name-calling fallacy as it is an attack on Calhoun's character rather than providing logical reasoning.
for a while, some started believing that Boeing had changed, but then this past January, the facade literally blew off the hollow shell that had been Boeing’s promises to the world.
You’re proud of the record?... Wow. Wow. There’s some news for you... Frankly, sir, I think it’s a travesty.
strip mining the company for profit, shareholder value
Bias
(95%)
The author expresses a clear bias against Boeing and its CEO David Calhoun throughout the article. The author uses language that depicts Boeing as having 'lost its way' and 'hollow shell', implying that the company is morally bankrupt. The author also accuses Calhoun of being more concerned with profit than safety, and of trying to blame the company's problems on employees. These statements are not based on facts or evidence provided in the article, but rather represent the author's opinion.
He continued: ‘Mr Calhoun you were brought in to the company as CEO to turn this company around... you and your board of directors have a duty to your shareholders. But they will be deeply ill-served if you fail to correct the root cause of this broken safety culture.', 'You’re the problem.'
It is about a company, a once iconic company known for engineering excellence and product prowess that somehow lost its way.
You’re proud of the record?... Wow. Wow. There’s some news for you... Frankly, sir, I think it’s a travesty.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations
CEO earned $32.8 million in compensation last year
Accuracy
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will testify in Senate hearing titled ‘Boeing’s broken safety culture’ on Tuesday, April 26, 2023.
Calhoun plans to apologize for Boeing’s recent safety failures and admit to problems with the company culture.
Approximately 80% of the nonconforming parts were moved to avoid FAA inspectors’ watchful eyes.
Boeing has yet to produce the paperwork to identify who installed a door plug without bolts on a plane that left its factory two months before the incident.
Deception
(30%)
The article contains editorializing and sensationalism. The author uses the phrase 'far from perfect' to describe Boeing's safety culture, which is an understatement given the numerous federal investigations and congressional hearings that have taken place since a January 5 Alaska Air Boeing 737 Max flight had a door plug blow off. The author also states that it is unlikely that the hearing will produce significant change at the company, implying that previous efforts to address safety issues have been ineffective. These statements are not facts and are intended to elicit an emotional response from readers.
The author uses the phrase 'far from perfect' to describe Boeing's safety culture, which is an understatement given the numerous federal investigations and congressional hearings that have taken place since a January 5 Alaska Air Boeing 737 Max flight had a door plug blow off.
The author states that it is unlikely that the hearing will produce significant change at the company.
Fallacies
(80%)
The author makes an appeal to authority by quoting Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace industry expert, who expresses his opinion that the hearing is unlikely to produce significant change at Boeing. This statement does not constitute a logical fallacy on its own but can lower the overall score due to the rule that any fallacy examples found mean a score cannot be more than 85.
]We are committed to making sure every employee feels empowered to speak up if there is a problem[,
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations regarding the company's manufacturing issues and its response to whistleblower concerns.
A whistleblower claimed that Boeing hid evidence of nonconforming parts, which could be defective or improperly documented, being included in 737 Max jets after the FAA informed the company it would conduct an inspection at the 737 assembly plant.
Accuracy
Approximately 80% of the nonconforming parts were moved to avoid FAA inspectors
Boeing earned $32.8 million in compensation last year for CEO David Calhoun drawing criticism from Senators
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The author makes an appeal to emotion by mentioning the relatives of crash victims and the whistleblower who died. This is an appeal to pity and can be considered a form of emotional fallacy.
“This hearing is a moment of reckoning.”
“It’s about a company, a once iconic company, that somehow lost its way.”
Bias
(95%)
The author does not demonstrate any clear bias in the article. However, Senator Josh Hawley's statements towards Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun contain strong language and accusations that could be perceived as biased against the company. The author does not endorse or agree with these statements and is simply reporting them.
Frankly sir, I think it’s a travesty that you’re still in your job.
