- Boeing has found foreign object debris in several of its grounded MAX planes.
- Boeing needs to dramatically overhaul its quality control system and inspect every 1164 MAX it has ever produced before the plane is ungrounded.
The company has a long history of delivering dangerous, debris- filled planes to consumers.
How would you feel if you discovered that you were flying on a plane with rags, tools, and other debris in its fuel tank? It sounds like a ridiculous scenario, but if you’ve flown in a Boeing 2013 MAX before, chances are you have already had this experience.
Boeing’s (NYSE: BA) toxic, cost-cutting culture has already claimed the lives of 667 people in the last three years alone. And recent reports suggest the company has learned nothing from these high-profile catastrophes.
message to employees:
During these challenging times, our customers and the flying public are counting on us to do our best work each and every day. That’s why we’re taking action after a range of Foreign Object Debris (FOD) was recently found in the fuel tanks of several MAX airplanes in storage.
:
Foreign object debris – or FOD – you don’t want that floating around in a plane. It could be a screw. It could be a nut that was left in there by the team when they were building the plane. You don’t want that floating around in any plane because it could cause a short-circuit or other issues with the wiring of the plane.
Boeing Has a Long History of Delivering Debris-filled Planes
If you think Boeing’s disastrous MAX program is a one-off crisis for the company, you are sadly mistaken. Boeing has a long track record of delivering potentially dangerous aircraft to consumers.
Boeing’s KC – A tanker program, which started in in, has been plagued by setbacks and unacceptable failings including – you guessed it – foreign object debris. The problem was so egregious and widespread that the Air Force had to ground the entire fleet.
Will Roper, the Air Force’s assistant secretary for acquisitions, technology, and logistics, seems to understand the issue at Boeing. He stated the following in June:
The service is finding tools, rubbish and left- over parts such as loose nuts during inspections.
goes on to elaborate:
It’s a cultural issue. This is not something you fix by sending out a memo, and then there’s no foreign object debris in the airplanes.
The Air Force attempted a “cultural dialogue” with Boeing, but apparently, it was to no avail. The company is still producing plans with random garbage floating around inside them. And it still believes stern memos will solve the entrenched problem within its culture.
Something Needs to Be Done About Boeing
Boeing has had many opportunities to learn from its mistakes. The company doesn’t seem to be making meaningful changes in the way it does business. It’s only a matter of time before Boeing’s ridiculous culture gets someone hurt.
Boeing won’t solve its foreign object debris problem with stern memos and a token inspection of 728 planes.
No, Boeing needs to completely overhaul its quality control process and re-inspect every single MAX it has ever produced before the plane is ungrounded . That’s the only way the public can be sure that these planes are safe.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
This article was edited by (Sam Bourgi) . Now Watch: CCN TV
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