Boeing uses subcontractors is new? Who in any large manufacturing business would even think of such a possibility. I will say that I did once visit a manufacturer that built much of its machines in house, the worst quality I have seen in that industry. Capital investment is needed to build quality parts consistently, and subcontractors are efficient. Do you think Airbus builds every component in their product? In investigating the uncommanded nose down events of the A330, I learned that Northrup Grumman supplies their brain boxes, or at least did at the time of the incidents that deserved grounding the fleet. Major manufacturers have their areas of expertise and search out suppliers for their expertise in other areas. An operation is missed, the problem is later discovered, determine the possible effect of such a problem, and get the word out ASAP. Not notifying would be a problem. Yet here Boeing is chastised for discovering a problem, being open about it, and asking the FAA to issue an AD. Quite unlike automobile manufacturers who need to rack up dozens, maybe hundreds of incidents before issuing a recall.