Boeing’s 737 Max Program Executive Departs Amid Safety Concerns
In a significant staff shake-up, the executive who led Boeing’s 737 Max program, Ed Clark, is leaving the company. This comes after a Boeing-made jet experienced a terrifying incident last month when a hole was blown in the side of its fuselage midflight. Stan Deal, the chief executive of Boeing’s commercial airplane division, announced Clark’s departure in a memo sent to employees on Wednesday. Clark, an 18-year veteran of the company, had been serving as the vice president of the 737 program and general manager of Boeing’s factory in Renton, Washington. Katie Ringgold, the vice president of 737 delivery operations, will be taking his place.
The memo also included other leadership changes within the company. Elizabeth Lund, a senior vice president and general manager of airplane programs for Boeing’s commercial aircraft program, has been appointed to the newly created position of senior vice president overseeing quality control and quality assurance efforts. Deal emphasized that these changes are part of the company’s enhanced focus on ensuring that every airplane they deliver meets or exceeds all quality and safety requirements.
Boeing is currently awaiting the results of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) review of its quality assurance and control programs, which is expected to be released later this month. This review comes in the wake of the recent accident involving a Boeing 737 Max 9 jet operated by Alaska Airlines. Shortly after takeoff from Portland International Airport, part of the plane’s fuselage blew off, causing panic among passengers and crew members and forcing an emergency landing. The FAA subsequently grounded over 100 737 Max 9 jets for inspection and imposed limits on the number of 737 Max jets that Boeing can build.
A preliminary investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that bolts used to secure the door plug were missing, leading to the incident. The door plug had been installed by a Boeing subcontractor, Spirit AeroSystems, but was later removed for repair at Boeing’s Renton factory. A photo shared by Boeing employees showed that three bolts were missing, with a fourth bolt not visible in the picture.
This incident and the subsequent revelations have raised concerns about Boeing’s safety practices and sparked renewed scrutiny of the company. Critics argue that Boeing has not learned from the two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 involving a different version of the 737 Max jet. These crashes resulted in the removal of Boeing’s president at the time.
As part of the FAA’s increased oversight, Administrator Michael Whitaker recently toured Boeing’s Renton factory, where he engaged with Boeing engineers and mechanics. Whitaker also met with FAA employees involved in overseeing Boeing. He is scheduled to meet with Boeing executives this week for follow-up discussions. The administrator is awaiting a report from a panel established last year to review Boeing’s safety culture. This review was initiated following the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, which were attributed to a flawed software system in the Max 8 version of Boeing’s 737 aircraft.
The Alaska Airlines accident has also raised questions about the FAA’s oversight of Boeing. During a subcommittee hearing, Administrator Whitaker admitted that the current oversight system was not effective and called for a more hands-on approach by regulators. The FAA has increased the number of inspectors at Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems factories. Additionally, the agency is considering whether some of the oversight authority delegated to Boeing should be handled by an independent third party.
Boeing CEO David Calhoun has issued an apology for the Alaska Airlines accident, stating that the company is accountable for what happened. In response to the incident, Boeing has implemented stricter quality-control measures, including safety stand-downs to identify areas for improvement in quality and compliance efforts. The company has also introduced new inspections and protocols for the manufacturing and documentation processes related to door plugs.
As Boeing faces ongoing scrutiny and works to address safety concerns, the company is striving to regain trust and ensure that every airplane it delivers meets the highest standards of quality and safety. The results of the FAA review will play a crucial role in determining the future of Boeing’s 737 Max program and its commitment to prioritizing the well-being of passengers and crew members.
