Originally Posted by
Imagegear
tdracer
While you are correct within the context of design by a subcontractor, I suspect the "powers that be", will consider Boeing as the prime contractor and therefore responsible.
If I have a problem with the oil pump in my new car, I will not accept the supplier of my car saying it is not our problem because we did not design the oil pump. It may have been supplied to the manufacturer for inclusion in their final product. But to me, the supplier of my new car is at fault.
IG
Image, in the airframer world, we have a couple of terms - BFE and SFE - "Buyer Furnished Equipment" and "Seller Furnished Equipment". The airframer is directly responsible for anything that is SFE, even if they didn't actually manufacture it. BFE is a completely different kettle of fish - unless the buyer specifies that the aircraft must function correctly with various BFE, it's the buyer's problem if it doesn't work.
To put it a little differently, if you buy a car with a fancy entertainment system from the factory - the auto manufacture is responsible for it working correctly. OTOH, if you take your car in and get a fancy aftermarket entertainment system installed - and it doesn't work right or interferes with proper operation of the car - the manufacturer will (rightly) tell you to pound sand - that it's your problem...