In May 2024, the DOJ decided that Boeing violated its 2021 deferred prosecution agreement put in place following the 737 MAX fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.听 聽聽

reported that two people familiar with proceedings said that Boeing and the DOJ are in talks about a resolution, but no final decisions have been made.听聽

Under the 2021 agreement, Boeing was forced to pay a $2.5 billion settlement and agree to abide by several conditions in the future.    

The DOJ found that Boeing violated that agreement when a plug door separated from an Alaska Airlines 737-8 MAX on January 5, 2024, just two days before it was set to expire.   

The DOJ has until July 7, 2024, to inform a judge how it wishes to proceed. Boeing has denied it has violated the 2021 deferred prosecution agreement.   

According to Reuters, one resolution that would not involve criminal charges includes a fine and a third-party being used to monitor Boeing精东影业 compliance.  

A criminal conviction against Boeing could complicate existing deals its defense segment has with the US government. 

On June 19, 2024, families of some of the victims that perished in the 737 MAX crashes urged the DOJ to fine the planemaker $24 billion and move ahead with criminal prosecution.听 聽聽

In a letter sent to the DOJ, Paul Cassel, a lawyer representing 15 families, said the large fine was justified because Boeing精东影业 鈥渃rime is the deadliest corporate crime in US history鈥� and therefore 鈥渓egally justified and clearly appropriate鈥�.听 聽

Boeing reallocates engineering staff to accelerate aircraft deliveries

• Aircraft

byClement Charpentreau

2024-06-21

In a letter sent to the DOJ on June 19, 2024, Paul Cassel, a lawyer representing 15 families, said the large fine was justified because Boeing精东影业 鈥渃rime is the deadliest corporate crime in US history鈥� and therefore 鈥渓egally justified and clearly appropriate鈥�. 

In May 2024, the DOJ decided that Boeing violated its 2021 deferred prosecution agreement put in place following the 737 MAX fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.听 聽

Under the agreement, Boeing was forced to pay a $2.5 billion settlement and agree to abide by several conditions in the future.   

The DOJ found that Boeing violated that agreement when a plug door separated from an Alaska Airlines 737-8 MAX on January 5, 2024, just two days before it was set to expire.  

Last week Boeing denied it had violated the 2021 deferred prosecution agreement. The DOJ has until July 7, 2024, to inform a judge how it wishes to proceed.  

The letter was sent on behalf of the victim精东影业 relatives after Dave Calhoun, the CEO of Boeing, appeared in front of senators at the in Washington DC.听

There Calhoun was grilled about 鈥淏oeing精东影业 broken safety culture鈥� and asked why he had not resigned since the Alaska Airlines incident.  

In 2018 all 189 people on Lion Air Flight 610 died in a crash and in 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed killing all 157 onboard. Both planes were Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.听聽

Exploring the use of robotics and automation to enhance airport ground handling

• Aviation Technology and Innovation

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-07-06

When Calhoun walked into the subcommittee room on June 18, 2024, relatives of some of the passengers that died in two Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, were sat holding photos of their deceased loved ones.听聽

Opening proceedings Senator Richard Blumenthal launched into a blistering attack against Calhoun during his opening statement, telling the Boeing boss that the hearing is a 鈥渕oment of reckoning鈥�.  

鈥淲hen you were named as Boeing精东影业 Chief Executive, Mr. Calhoun, we were told that you were the right person to correct course, and you committed to, 鈥榮trengthen Boeing精东影业 safety culture and rebuild trust with our customers, regulators, suppliers, and the flying public,鈥欌�� Blumenthal said.听

He continued: 鈥淎nd for a while, some started to believe that Boeing might have changed. But then this past January, the fa莽ade literally blew off the hollow shell that had been Boeing精东影业 promises to the world. Once that chasm was exposed, we learned that there was virtually no bottom to the void that lay below.鈥� 

The Senate hearing was called to gather evidence about 鈥淏oeing精东影业 broken safety culture鈥� which had been brought under the microscope after a door plug separated from an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 8 jet shortly after takeoff.  

Subsequent preliminary investigations by the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) found that there may have been production failures that led to the door plug not being installed properly after it was removed so repair work could be carried out inside the accident plane.听聽

In the following weeks and months, it became apparent that safety and quality were no longer what it once was at Boeing and the company was put into special measures by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that limited aircraft production and increased scrutiny at the production facilities.  

During Calhoun精东影业 testimony in front of the subcommittee he was told that Boeing was 鈥渃utting corners鈥�, 鈥渆liminating safety procedures鈥� and 鈥渢rying to squeeze every piece of profit you can鈥�.听聽

‘You are strip-mining Boeing’

鈥淵ou are strip-mining Boeing,鈥� Senator Josh Hawley said.  

Calhoun was challenged on why he hadn鈥檛 resigned, to which he replied, 鈥淪enator, I am sticking this through鈥�.  

Boeing confirmed on March 25, 2024, that Calhoun would retire at the end of the year and that he was remaining in his role to 鈥渟tabilize and position the company for the future鈥�. 

During his testimony Calhoun said that Boeing had taken 鈥渋mmediate action to ensure the specific circumstances that led to this accident would not happen again”.  

He told senators that following the door plug blowout Boeing had slowed production, encouraged employees to come forward with any issues and submitted a roadmap to the FAA on how it would fix its safety and quality-control issues.听

鈥淥ur culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action, and we are making progress,鈥� Calhoun told senators.  

According to , while giving evidence Calhoun also acknowledged during the hearing that some Boeing employees who raised concerns had faced retaliation.听聽

Whistleblowers have been central to the subcommittee精东影业 evidence with Senator Blumenthal confirming 鈥渕ore than a dozen鈥� have now come forward.  

Sam Mohawk, a Quality Assurance Inspector for Boeing in Renton, claimed in evidence presented by Senator Blumenthal on June 18, 2024, that aircraft parts labeled as 鈥渘on-conforming鈥� or inadequate sometimes ended up being used in newly built aircraft.听

Boeing reportedly only caught wind of the new allegations late on June 17, 2024, but said in a statement that it 鈥渃ontinuously encourages employees to report all concerns as our priority is to ensure the safety of our airplanes and the flying public鈥�.听

During the hearing Calhoun apologized face to face with relatives who lost loved ones on Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 鈥渇or the grief that we have caused鈥�.    

Boeing will now wait until July 7, 2024, to hear what steps the Justice Department will take against the company after it decided the Alaska Airlines incident did violate its 2021 deferred prosecution agreement with Boeing following the 737 MAX fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.     

Following the hearing Senator Blumenthal told the : “I have a lot more questions that need to be answered and we’re going to be pursuing our investigation.”聽

New Boeing whistleblower claims released as CEO prepares to give testimony

• Aviation Safety

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-18

According to , Senator Richard Blumenthal, who serves on the Subcommittee on Investigations, revealed details of the new whistleblower claims on June 18, 2024, in a memo from his office.听聽

Sam Mohawk, a Quality Assurance Inspector for Boeing in Renton, alleges that the company is cutting corners by losing track of parts that have been labeled as 鈥渘on-conforming鈥� or inadequate, according to Senator Blumenthal. 

Some parts get a second lease of life because they can be mended or were labeled incorrectly, but often they should be disposed of, according to Senator Blumenthal. 

Mohawk claims that the parts sometimes end up being used in newly built aircraft, according to Senator Blumenthal. 

“He said that he has been told by his supervisors to conceal this evidence from the FAA, and that he is being retaliated against as well,” Blumenthal said in a statement seen by media agencies. 

According to , the memo additionally said that Mohawk claimed as many as 400 faulty 737 MAX aircraft parts may have been lost and deleted from a cataloguing system, some of which may have been installed in new planes.  

Boeing reportedly only caught wind of the new allegations late on June 17, 2024.  

“We continuously encourage employees to report all concerns as our priority is to ensure the safety of our airplanes and the flying public,鈥� a Boeing spokesperson said in a statement to the media.  

Calhoun is expected to be grilled by senators over safety problems at the company, quality control and the treatment of whistleblowers when he appears at the subcommittee on June 18, 2024.    

Boeing are still searching for a new CEO to replace Calhoun after a number of potential candidates ruled themselves out of being considered. 

精东影业 has contacted Boeing for further comment on Sam Mohawk’s claims.

Boeing CEO search ongoing as talks with Spirit boss on hold and GE head declines

• Aircraft

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-18

The Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8, registered N8825Q, was traveling from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport (OAK) on May 25, 2024, when the incident occurred.听

The Southwest Airlines flight went on to land safely in Oakland around 55 minutes, but the aircraft was found to have sustained some damage. 

In a preliminary report the FAA said the 737 MAX 鈥渆xperienced a Dutch roll, regained control and post flight inspection revealed damage to the standby PCU鈥�. The PCU is the power control unit which provides power to the aircraft精东影业 rudder. 

According to Boeing, a plane 鈥渕oves in two axes if it experiences a Dutch roll, which is caused by wind or pilot input鈥�. The 鈥渘ose may go left to right as the airplane simultaneously banks side to side鈥�.  

A Dutch Roll is considered to be a serious incident that can damage the aircraft and prove uncomfortable for those onboard.  

According to , the 737-8 remained at OAK until June 6, 2024, when it was flown to Paine Field (PAE) in Everatt where MRO, Aviation Technical Services, are based.听

The Aviation Herald also learned that two ribs to which the plane精东影业 standby PCU is mounted were damaged in the incident, as were the mounts of the standby actuator. 

The FAA has said that it is working with Boeing and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to investigate the incident.听聽

The aircraft was delivered to Southwest in December 2022.

Boeing inspects undelivered 787s over incorrectly installed fasteners, FAA aware

• Aircraft
• Aviation Safety

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-14

Following the January 5, 2024, Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX door plug incident, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker directed the aircraft manufacturer to develop a comprehensive action plan to set a new standard for safety and how the company conducts business.

According to Boeing, the roadmap is necessary to reset the safety culture at Boeing, as well as address the findings of the FAA精东影业 and the鈥痚xpert .  

Over the last three months, Boeing developed the proposal with detailed input from the FAA throughout the process. Boeing said that in , it took a hard look at its quality practices in its factories and across our production system.

The FAA decided to continue monitoring Boeing精东影业 progress to improve issues after a three-hour meeting with senior Boeing leaders at FAA headquarters.  

鈥淭oday, we reviewed Boeing精东影业 roadmap to set a new standard of safety and underscored that they must follow through on corrective actions and effectively transform their safety culture,鈥� Whitaker said in a statement.

 鈥淥n the FAA精东影业 part, we will make sure they do and that their fixes are effective. This does not mark the end of our increased oversight of Boeing and its suppliers, but it sets a new standard of how Boeing does business,鈥� Whitaker added.

Whitaker said that during the meeting with Boeing, he reiterated that the FAA needs to see a strong and unwavering commitment to safety.

鈥淪ystemic change isn’t easy but in this case is absolutely necessary, and the work is never really done when it comes to the safety of the flying public 鈥� from Boeing, airlines, or the FAA. But we will hold the company accountable every step of the way to make sure these changes happen,鈥� Whitaker said.

The agency required Boeing to provide a detailed update on completed actions as well as mid- and long-term actions Boeing will take. These actions include: 

• Strengthening its Safety Management System, including employee safety reporting聽
• Simplifying processes and procedures and clarifying work instructions聽
• Enhanced supplier oversight聽
• Enhanced employee training and communication聽
• Increased internal audits of production system聽聽

Additionally, Boeing had to identify the results of completed actions and how to monitor them and future actions to validate progress and sustain the changes. 

The FAA also provided additional actions it had taken as part of its aggressive oversight of Boeing鈥痑nd its suppliers. These include: 

• Immediately grounding 171 Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft operated by U.S. airlines or in U.S. territory.鈥�
• Increased onsite safety inspector presence at Boeing精东影业 facility in Renton, Washington, and Spirit AeroSystems鈥� facility in Wichita, Kansas.听
• Halted production expansion of the Boeing 737 MAX.听
• Administrator Whitaker visiting Boeing精东影业 factory floor in Renton, Washington, to see the 737 production line and hear directly from Boeing engineers, mechanics, and others about quality control processes. According to the FAA, Whitaker has actively encouraged all whistleblower complaints, and the FAA investigates every single one.听
• Concluded an audit of Boeing精东影业 production line that went above and beyond FAA精东影业 standard inspection process. The FAA identified non-compliance issues in Boeing精东影业 manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product control. Our audit is complete but it is part of an ongoing investigation, and we cannot release further details.听
• The FAA continues to issue airworthiness certificates for every newly produced Boeing 737 MAX.听

Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun said that many of the roadmap and proposed actions from the FAA are underway and that the Boeing team is committed to executing on each element of the plan.

鈥淚t is through this continuous learning and improvement process that our industry has made commercial aviation the safest mode of transportation. The actions we are taking today will further strengthen that foundation,鈥� Calhoun said in a statement.

鈥淲e thank Administrator Whitaker and the FAA team for their feedback today and we will continue to work under their oversight as we move forward.鈥�

Boeing signals progress on 737 MAX 7 and 10 certification, more delays possible

• Aviation Safety

byIan Molyneaux

2024-05-30

In January 2024, Boeing decided to withdraw a safety exemption request for the smallest member of the 737 MAX family, the 737-7, that related to an anti-icing system that could lead to overheating of the inlet cowl.听 聽

At the time Boeing forecast that a solution to the problem, which also affected the 737-10 certification process, could be found within 12 months. 

According to , on May 29, 2024, Boeing said it was making progress on a permanent solution to the anti-ice system issue while the reported that a design modification had been found by Boeing for the engine inlet.听聽

A source also told Reuters that plans were afoot to begin testing the fix later this year and that certification of the 737-7 could slip to mid-2025.  

Air Current reported that successful certification of both the MAX 7 and 10 may not happen until deep into next year.  

Boeing had originally hoped that the temporary safety exemption would quicken the process for the 737 MAX 7 to be certified while it prepared a permanent fix ready for roll-out in May 2026.    

After the request was made the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) agreed an interim solution that could be used on the 737-8 and 737-9 models which also faced the same anti-icing system issue.    

There were concerns that the anti-ice system could overheat and cause the engine nacelle to 鈥渂reak apart and fall off鈥�. 

Pressure on Boeing and its quality procedures has intensified following an incident in which a plug door separated from an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 shortly after takeoff on January 5, 2024.听聽聽聽

Boeing cancels 737 MAX 7 safety exemption request to seek alternative solution聽

• Aviation Safety

byIan Molyneaux

2024-01-30

According to , a deal was put to easyJet pilots who are members of the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) in a vote, but it was rejected by a majority.听聽

There are fears that if the offer on the table is not improved then easyJet pilots may threaten strike action which could have huge consequences for the low-cost carrier during its busiest time of year. 

The Sun reported that the proposed deal would have seen captain精东影业 (with 10-year service) increase from 拢163,589 to 拢190,000 from October 2024, before increasing further in 2025.  

Senior first officers were offered a further 拢20,000 a year, increasing their annual salary to 拢112,879 while first officers鈥� pay would have been boosted to 拢75,446 a year. 

A source told The Sun that BALPA members have already been approached about possible strike action. 

鈥淭hey are holding all the cards, and the airline knows it. Bosses need to find even more money for pilots, or jets won鈥檛 get off the ground this summer and holidaymakers face travel agony,鈥� the source said.  

easyJet responded to the vote by saying it was 鈥渄isappointed鈥� the proposal 鈥渘arrowly fell short of the 50% required鈥�. 

The airline confirmed it will be meeting with BALPA shortly to discuss the results and to seek a resolution.听

easyJet uses hydrogen to power baggage tractors in ground-breaking airport trial

• Airlines
• Sustainability

byIan Molyneaux

2024-04-15

Against the backdrop of the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 door plug blowout accident, a reduced aircraft production output, disgruntled airlines and a (FAA) laser-focused on every move Boeing makes, no one was expecting any miracles among the results.听聽

However, the first quarter perhaps did not turn out quite as bad as some experts expected with $3.9 billion cash burn for the period rather than rather than a predicted $4.5 billion.   

Revenue fell from $17.9 billion for the first quarter in 2023 by 8% to $16.6 billion for the same period in 2024 and Boeing also posted a core loss per share of $1.13. 

“Our first quarter results reflect the immediate actions we’ve taken to slow down 737 production to drive improvements in quality,” Calhoun said. “We will take the time necessary to strengthen our quality and safety management systems and this work will position us for a stronger and more stable future.”聽

‘Non-compliance issues

If anything, Boeing精东影业 first quarter results reflect the severe impact that the Alaksa Airlines Flight 1282 accident on January 5, 2024, has had on the aircraft manufacturer. 

The incident sent Boeing into crisis management mode as 737 MAX 9s that matched the Alaska jet configuration were grounded.听

The situation grew worse for Boeing when the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that there appeared to have been safety failures during the assembly of the accident aircraft.听聽

A six-week audit by the FAA of Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems facilities subsequently found even more safety issues.听 聽

The FAA identified 鈥渘on-compliance issues鈥� across Boeing精东影业 manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product control.     

Crucially the FAA also halted production expansion of the Boeing 737 MAX, and the 737 program has slowed production below 38 per month leaving customers without their promised planes. 

鈥淲e are using this period, as difficult as it is, to deliberately slow the system, stabilize the supply chain, fortify our factory operations and position Boeing to deliver with the predictability and quality our customers demand for the long term. As these efforts begin to take hold, we鈥檙e seeing early signs of more predictable, stable and efficient cycle times in our 737 factory, and expect this will continue to slowly improve,鈥� Calhoun said in the memo to staff.听

‘We are in a tough moment’

He added: 鈥淣ear term, yes, we are in a tough moment. Lower deliveries can be difficult for our customers and for our financials. But safety and quality must and will come above all else. We are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to make certain our regulators, customers, employees, and the flying public are 100 percent confident in.鈥� 

If there is any positive news for Boeing then the total company backlog growing to $529 billion, including more than 5,600 commercial airplanes, will have provided some hope for the future.   

鈥淭here is a lot of work in front of us, but we remain fully confident in our future. While this effort will slow our recovery timing, we are starting to see these proof points that we鈥檒l begin to stabilize and improve performance moving forward,鈥� Calhoun said.听聽

Boeing holds defensive line after bruising day across two US Senate hearings

• Aviation Safety

byIan Molyneaux

2024-04-18

The decision was confirmed by Boeing on March 25, 2024, and comes at a time when Boeing is under increasing pressure over safety following the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 door plug blowout on January 5, 2024.  

The company said that Calhoun will lead Boeing 鈥渢hrough the year to complete the critical work underway to stabilize and position the company for the future.鈥� 

Stan Deal, the Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO, often the face of the company following the Alaska Airlines incident, has also announced that he will retire and will be replaced by the current Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Pope. 

鈥淚t has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve Boeing,鈥� Calhoun wrote in a letter to employees. 鈥淭he eyes of the world are on us, and I know that we will come through this moment a better company. We will remain squarely focused on completing the work we have done together to return our company to stability after the extraordinary challenges of the past five years, with safety and quality at the forefront of everything that we do.鈥� 

In addition, Chair Larry Kellner has informed the board that he does not intend to stand for re-election at the upcoming Annual Shareholder meeting. 

Steve Mollenkopf was elected by the board to succeed Kellner as independent board chair and will lead the search for a new CEO.  

‘I think it really shows how the mindset has been on production’

Pressure has been mounting at Boeing after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began investigating safety processes at Boeing and the US Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into the Alaska Airlines incident. 

In an interview on 鈥樷�� on March 19, 2024, the FAA head said that Boeing精东影业 鈥渕indset鈥� around production needs to 鈥渟hift.鈥�    

FAA chief Michael Whitaker spoke of a recent visit to Boeing精东影业 facilities in which he saw for himself that the company精东影业 focus appears to be on production rather than safety and quality.   

鈥淭here are issues around the safety culture in Boeing,鈥� Whitaker told the NBC show.听鈥淭heir priorities have been focused on production and not on safety and quality. And so, what we are really focused on now is shifting that focus from production to safety and quality.鈥澛犅犅�

When Whitaker was asked during the interview specifically what he saw at the Boeing facilities that concerned him, his response was stinging of the planemaker.  

鈥淲ell, really looking for that indicator of a safety culture,鈥� Whitaker explained. 鈥淪o before going out on the floor of a manufacturing floor, you would expect a thorough safety briefing. That wasn鈥檛 part of the process. And then reviewing the floor, expected a lot of conversation around quality assurance and safety and again, that wasn鈥檛 there. It was all about production. And there精东影业 nothing wrong with production, but it has to follow safety.鈥� 

鈥淚 think it really shows how the mindset has been on production, and I think you would have expected at least more of a show of focus on safety and that was lacking,鈥� Whitaker concluded.听

Dave Calhoun精东影业 letter to Boeing staff聽

Announcing his departure to Boeing staff, Calhoun sent a long letter explaining the decision in which he described the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 accident as a 鈥渨atershed鈥� moment for the company.  

鈥淚 want to thank each and every one of you for how you have stepped up to this challenge and for the work now underway to make sure we demonstrate to all stakeholders that the Boeing of the future is everything they should expect it to be. We have been working together for the last five years to address some of the most significant challenges our company and industry have ever faced in our 108-year history,鈥� Calhoun wrote.  

The CEO added: 鈥淚 am confident that the way we have confronted these challenges, and how we are responding to this specific moment, is establishing standards for future generations of employees and will be woven into the fabric of how we operate for decades to come.鈥澛�

Boeing Latest鈥�

Today, we welcome news of management changes inside Boeing and look forward to working closely with Dave Calhoun and Stephanie Pope to eliminate delivery delays.

Speaking from our Dublin HQ, Michael O鈥橪eary had this to say:

— Ryanair Press Team (@RyanairPress)

In the letter Calhoun said that he had been 鈥渃onsidering for some time鈥� with board members about the 鈥渞ight time for a CEO transition at Boeing鈥�. 

Calhoun also thanked his colleagues that were stepping into new executive roles of leaving the company.  

He also praised the Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Pope who will become the Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO.  

鈥淪tephanie knows our company inside and out and has a proven track record of superb leadership, including an innate talent for listening and responding to our people. Stephanie is a third-generation Boeing employee. She is deeply committed to our company, to our employees and to our shared future; and she is the perfect person to take on the leadership of our commercial airplanes business at this moment,鈥� Calhoun wrote.  

FAA chief says factory visit shows Boeing精东影业 focus on production over safety

• Aviation Safety

byIan Molyneaux

2024-03-20