A Senate subcommittee investigation revealed that Boeing hid from regulators defective or out-of-spec parts that may have been installed on 737 Max planes. Sam Mohawk, a Boeing quality official, claimed the company moved these parts out of sight of regulators and falsified records to avoid detection by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Many of these parts were lost in the process, raising concerns about fitting them into the planes, CNN reported.
Boeing confirmed that it had received the report and was looking into the allegations. Chief Executive Dave Calhoun, who faces his first congressional hearing, acknowledged cultural problems at Boeing but denied retaliating against employees who raised safety concerns.
Senator Richard Blumenthal criticized Boeing's structure, accusing it of putting profits before safety and retaliating against whistleblowers. The subcommittee hearing is titled "Boeing's Broken Safety Culture," highlighting longstanding problems at the company. Blumenthal cited numerous whistleblower accounts, including Mohawk's, describing how Boeing hid substandard parts and pressured employees to keep quiet.
Despite Boeing's statements of commitment to safety and non-retaliation, the company's culture and practices have been questioned. The January incident in which a door ripped off an Alaska Air 737 Max jet has heightened scrutiny, with federal investigations and congressional hearings now underway. The FAA mandated Boeing to improve safety, which affected airline production and operations.
Calhoun's prepared testimony included apologies for past safety failures and acknowledgement of the company's cultural problems. He also faces potential criminal charges stemming from previous safety issues and the January incident.
The hearing is unlikely to lead to significant immediate changes at Boeing, although it does highlight the need for cultural and procedural changes to ensure safety and accountability. | BGNES
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