FAA to Launch Three-Month Review of Boeing’s Safety Compliance

 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Friday that it will initiate a three-month review of Boeing’s adherence to safety regulations, extending its intensified oversight of the company following an incident in January when a panel blew off a Boeing jetliner during an Alaska Airlines flight.

The FAA stated that the review will focus on evaluating Boeing's safety processes to ensure that they produce "timely, accurate safety-related information for FAA use." According to an FAA spokesperson, this review is not tied to any recent event but is part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to monitor safety culture within Boeing, a major aircraft manufacturer.

Boeing has not yet commented on the newly announced review.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker has ordered special audits of Boeing and implemented additional measures to examine the company's safety practices, particularly since the incident involving a door plug panel blowing off a 737 Max aircraft during an Alaska Airlines flight earlier this year.

Despite these steps, the Transportation Department's inspector general, which oversees the FAA, recently pointed out weaknesses in the agency’s oversight of Boeing. The inspector general's report highlighted that the FAA has been unable to adequately identify and address certain problems at Boeing. These issues include ensuring that Boeing and its suppliers produce parts that meet design and engineering standards, as well as investigating claims that Boeing places undue pressure on employees responsible for conducting safety inspections. According to the report, the FAA has closed only 14 of 34 reports of such undue pressure, with the remaining cases left unresolved for more than a year on average.

Last month, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued an "urgent" recommendation to the FAA regarding a rudder issue affecting certain Boeing 737 models, which surfaced in February. Two weeks later, the FAA responded by issuing a safety alert to airlines concerning the problem.

This review marks another step in the FAA's heightened scrutiny of Boeing’s safety protocols and practices, aiming to address both existing concerns and any potential future risks in aircraft production and operations.