FAA Approves Inspection Criteria for Grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 Planes, But Investigation Continues
Boeing CEO David Calhoun had a bittersweet day on Wednesday. On one hand, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finally approved inspection criteria for the grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 planes, potentially allowing them to return to service. However, on the other hand, Boeing is now facing yet another investigation into its safety issues. The FAA made it clear that the recent incident involving an Alaska Airlines flight, where part of the aircraft blew off mid-air, should never happen again. While the planes have been cleared to fly, the FAA has also stated that it will not grant any production expansion for the 737 Max lineup until Boeing’s safety probe is complete.
The grounding of the 737 Max planes has caused significant disruptions for airlines, with hundreds of cancellations occurring daily. However, with the approval of inspection criteria, airlines such as Alaska and United can now begin the process of returning these planes to service. The inspections will be thorough, covering everything from bolts and fittings to guide tracks for the door plug. Detailed inspections of associated components will also be conducted. Boeing has stated that it will cooperate fully with the FAA and work closely with its airline customers to ensure the required inspection procedures are completed for the safe return of the aircraft.
Alaska Airlines expects the inspections to take approximately 12 hours, with the first of its 737 Max 9 planes set to return to service on Friday. United Airlines has received approval from the FAA to return 79 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to its fleet this weekend. Toby Enqvist, executive vice president and chief operations officer at United, expressed their commitment to completing the thorough inspection process before returning the aircraft to scheduled service on Sunday.
While Boeing may have received some positive news with the approval of inspection criteria, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker made it clear that this does not mean it will be “business as usual” for the company. The FAA will not approve any request from Boeing for an expansion in production or additional production lines until the quality control issues uncovered during the investigation are resolved. This puts additional pressure on Boeing to address its safety concerns and prioritize quality and engineering.
Boeing’s CEO, David Calhoun, faced a challenging day in Washington as he was forced to defend the safety of his company’s planes to lawmakers and travelers. Calhoun emphasized that Boeing only puts safe planes in the air and expressed his willingness to answer all questions from lawmakers. However, Washington Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell announced that she plans to hold a future hearing to investigate Boeing’s safety record. Cantwell emphasized the need for Boeing to prioritize safety over profits and address the root causes of the safety lapses.
Boeing’s safety issues have been ongoing for years, with repeated quality and engineering problems. The 737 Max’s design was found to be responsible for two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, resulting in a 20-month grounding of the aircraft. Internal communications during this time revealed concerning remarks about the jet’s design. Boeing has also faced quality concerns with other aircraft models, such as the 787 Dreamliner and the 777 jet.
Industry experts have cast doubt on Boeing’s ability to emerge unscathed from these investigations. A Wells Fargo report highlighted Boeing’s ongoing quality control and engineering problems, suggesting that a clean audit is unlikely. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy has demanded answers from Boeing about any mistakes made as part of its safety investigation.
The approval of inspection criteria is a step forward for Boeing, but the company still has a long way to go in rebuilding trust and addressing its safety concerns. The investigations and hearings ahead will shed further light on the root causes of these safety lapses and determine the necessary actions for Boeing to regain its reputation as a leader in aviation safety.
