Writing that last post has saddened me hugely . From the start of my time in the air transport industry I have always believed that while many aviation administrations, manufacturers and operators did things properly and systematically, with people who believed that safety was all-important, it was the USA that led the world in almost every aspect of aviation, with skill, innovation, and above all a total respect for safety and professionalism, led by an incorruptible FAA whose staff were highly trained and motivated experts. You could see everywhere the inheritance of people like Earnest Gann as they built on the foundations laid before and during WWII.
Now this might have been looking through rose-coloured specs in some ways, but by and large it was true.
What Boeing has done is to blow this image into the dust of history. In other words it has taken the reputation of whole of the USA's air transport industry down with it. The fact that in recent times the FAA have helped them mightily to do that doesn't make it feel any better.
It is a huge shame.