Approaching, Oct. 30
From WSJ today, "Ex-Boeing Pilot Cited MAX Pressure":
"Boeing has tried for months to interview Mr. Forkner about what he meant in the messages, a person familiar with the company’s internal review of the matter said."
Taking a step back from the first reactions and gut impressions of the information in this article as well as the several previously reported articles, there's an aspect which either is quite troubling, or very likely to attract keen questioning in next week's congressional hearings -- or both.
How could this level of big aerospace giant business corporation not have and operate a thorough system for receiving, tracking, documenting, preserving, and otherwise providing a platform for addressing (in other words, resolving, where appropriate) safety and regulatory compliance concerns? In today's (poor English) vernacular "I get it" that the MAX program was a banana peel on a well-oiled floor sprinkled with very small ball bearings, but to not already be thoroughly conversant with what the chief technical pilot was thinking?
I hope - and it pains me greatly to be forced by my attorney sense (or, if I have any, or any left) to say this about the q&a next week - but I hope the questions by committee members or counsel or both drill and drill with relentless focus into the exact structure, documentation, and "org chart" accountabilities of the internal communication system for safety and regulatory compliance concerns. Year by year and quarter by quarter if necessary. Every change in any of its significant or major components or operations. Examples - if any (and oh yeah that hurts to say too) - of such concerns being reported, handled properly, and leading to resolution, year-year etc.
One million Smackers per copy if Southwest needed more training, is their contract. Getting to this level of mega-depo with the Boeing people on the Hill might help the SWAPA in their case - but if I was advising the Hill committee chairmen I'd advise them to get the subpoenas drafted right da*n now - if Boeing so much as breathes "privilege for attorney-client communications" on these particular subject matters - - - straight into United States District Court.