Boeing employees falsified airplane inspection records

Boeing representatives have announced that they are re-inspecting all 787s the company still has on its production lines, the BBC reports. Furthermore, the company is said to develop an “action plan” to carry out inspections of aircraft already in use.

According to an internal communication obtained by BBC reporters, the management of the company does not deny the “doubt” but, according to it, did not cause any “immediate problem with the safety of the flight”. “We quickly reviewed this matter and found that several people were violating company guidelines by not performing the required tests but recording this work as complete,” Boeing 787 program chief Scott Stocker wrote in an email to his staff.

The FAA said it was voluntarily notified by the company itself about the possible failure to perform some inspections needed to verify adequate electrical safety devices at the point where the wings connect to the fuselage of the 787 Dreamliner. The planes affected by this defect are often used for long international flights.

The first crewed flight of the Starliner spacecraft to the ISS was delayed due to a malfunction

Science and schools

“The FAA is investigating whether Boeing completed inspections and whether company employees falsified records,” the agency said in a statement. “As the investigation continues, the FAA will, as always, take all steps necessary to ensure the safety of the flying public.”

Boeing’s chain of problems started in January with an emergency exit that broke off from the new 737 Max 9 plane in flight. Dozens of the company’s planes were subsequently grounded and the company had to drastically reduce production. It has also exposed itself to increased regulatory oversight, criminal investigations and other legal and financial challenges.

The company’s CEO, Dave Calhoun, announced in March that he would step down from his role at the end of the year due to the current situation. Boeing also said it is working to reform its corporate culture to encourage people who notice a problem to not be afraid to speak up. It is said that since January, the number of employee reports about possible defects has increased fivefold. Whistleblower Sam Salehpour also stated in his testimony before Congress that the company did not listen to its employees before.