Claims that
Boeing knew of safety flaws in the manufacture of one of its largest passenger jet aircraft, but covered them up to speed production, are under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), according to a reports.
The information came from a whistleblower inside the beleaguered US aircraft maker, and relates to the structural integrity of the 787 Dreamliner jet, a report published
by the New York Times alleges.
The engineer, identified as Sam Salehpour, told the newspaper that sections of the fuselage of the Dreamliner were improperly fastened together and could eventually break apart mid-flight.
Salehpour said he had worked for the company for more than a decade, including on the jets in question, and claimed
Boeing employed “shortcuts” in the manufacturing process intended to reduce production bottlenecks – but which ultimately compromised safety.
WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a Boeing whistleblower's claims that the company dismissed safety and quality concerns in the production of the planemaker's 787 and 777 jets, an agency spokesperson said on Tuesday.In a statement, Boeing said it was fully confident in the 787 Dreamliner, adding that the claims "are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft."
Boeing shares were down nearly 2% at $178.19 on Tuesday afternoon after the FAA confirmed the investigation, which was first reported by the New York Times.
Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour said he identified engineering problems that affected the structural integrity of the jets and claimed Boeing employed shortcuts to reduce bottlenecks during the 787 assembly process, his attorneys said in a release.In a statement,
Reuters was not able to independently verify the whistleblower's claims.
Source
https://www.theguardian.com/business...igation-report and
https://www.reuters.com/business/aer...ts-2024-04-09/