FAA: Boeing Workers Pressured to Prioritize Speed Over Quality

In a report published Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that Boeing employees felt pressured to prioritize speed over the quality of their work. The investigation also discovered that Boeing workers didn’t receive enough training to perform their jobs. 

This report could put more pressure on Boeing while it already deals with numerous issues. This includes questions regarding the safety of its aircraft and an ongoing strike by 33,000 unionized Boeing workers. 

Door Plug Blew Mid-Flight

In January, a door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max blew off mid-flight, triggering multiple federal investigations. It was later revealed that the aircraft had left the factory missing four essential bolts needed to secure the door plug.

The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations publicized the report for the first time. The subcommittee will hold a hearing featuring the testimony of FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker.  

The report said that the “findings reveal the extent of troubling production problems, including Boeing’s struggle to adequately train and equip manufacturing personnel, thoroughly document and control nonconforming parts, and conduct adequate quality inspections.”

In reaction to the report, Boeing said that it is working towards improving production, focusing more on safety and quality. 

Boeing said, “We’ve taken important steps to foster a safety culture that empowers and encourages all employees to share their voice, but it will require continuous focus.” 

In June, Whitaker testified, saying the agency had a “too-hands-off” approach in regulating Boeing. This did not spare the agency from the report. “These findings demonstrate an ongoing and persistent struggle by the FAA to ensure that Boeing is maintaining the highest safety standards across its manufacturing facilities.” The report added, “The newly released information raises questions about the effectiveness of the FAA’s oversight of the company.”

FAA Defending Its Oversight

The FAA defended its oversight of Boeing. In a statement, the FAA said, “The FAA will continue our aggressive oversight to hold Boeing accountable and ensure the company fixes its systemic production-quality issues.” It added, “Administrator Mike Whitaker has made it clear ‘this won’t be back to business as usual for Boeing.’”

The report documented safety lapses and shortcuts done by Boeing workers. One example was a Boeing mechanic who used an improvised measuring device to check the gaps between components. The report said that “This tool is mechanic made, unauthorized, uncalibrated, unmarked, not inventoried or stored.” 

During Whittaker’s testimony in front of the House Aviation Subcommittee on Tuesday, he mentioned that the FAA inspectors are present at Boeing’s 737 plant. Here, the inspectors scrutinized each new plane that rolled out of the factory.

However, some lawmakers questioned the FAA’s approach. Democratic Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal wrote that the agency “must be proactive and aggressive in oversight, not reactive.”

Whitaker said, “I think the safety culture change is going to be a long-term project.” He added, “I think it’s going to take years of delivering that safety message and the employees actually seeing that safety is more important than production before that culture to change.”