Boeing HQ
The biggest news for Boeing over the weekend is NASA’s decision to not risk the crew returning to earth in the Starliner, but instead waiting until February to return from the International Space Station on a competing SpaceX capsule. This decision was not unexpected, but is another blow to Boeing’s reputation, after multiple incidents on commercial aircraft emerged that have already seriously damaged Boeing’s reputation for quality and safety.
While we have heard from Boeing space program executives, the silence from new Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg is deafening. If Boeing’s culture is to change and provide increased transparency, perhaps a briefing or news conference would be appropriate, with either a vote of confidence for the program and engineering explanations for what happened, and what will happen next, or alternative strategies being considered. Yes, this is an embarrassing moment for the company, but that what leaders need to face head on.
Everyone would understand Boeing taking the road for crew safety along with NASA. But simple questions like doesn’t Boeing have more than one Starliner capsule built, and couldn’t a new capsule be launched before February, need answers. This was supposed to be a transportation system in place by now, which SpaceX has accomplished and Boeing hasn’t. While this would certainly be uncomfortable, it would provide the basis for a new start in public relations for Boeing, which have failed the company terribly in recent crises.
Instead, the industry rumor mills has Boeing pulling back in Space, with a potential sale of its ULA rocket joint venture with Lockheed and a questions of whether a potential sale might be in the future for the Starliner program. That program has now lost more than $1.5 billion and is years behind its original schedule. Could Boeing even abandon the program? In terms of Boeing’s overall revenue, Starliner is a drop in the bucket and not essential to the future of the company. Decisions need to be made in Ortberg’s first real test as Boeing’s new CEO. Let’s hope he is up to the challenge, because the honeymoon period can end very quickly.
In other news, the Seattle Times has a full investigative report into the Alaska Air door plug blowout incident that explains how things fell through the cracks. While no conclusion on causality is reached, the data from the NTSB investigation paint a picture of the chaos in the Boeing facility that led to the incident. This is a long article but a must-read story by Dominic Gates. Our take – the chaos on the shop floor isn’t an easy fix, and production rates won’t hit Boeing targets anytime soon. We expect a downward revision in 2025 projected production rates.
In another story, a Boeing whistleblower has pointed to past electrical wiring defects in the 737 MAX as a potential source of continuing issues. He also pointed to electrical issues on the Ethiopian airliner that crashed as a potential factor in its fatal final journey, and spoke to the shop floor chaos at the time of its final assembly. Many of those contemporaries of the crashed airplane remain in active service.
An incident involving a Qantas 787 apparently resulted from a tire tread separation on takeoff that resulted in structural damage to the aircraft. Interestingly, the tire that lost its tread retained its pressure and the aircraft landed safely after a flight from Rome to Perth.
Finally, the FAA is proposing new cybersecurity regulations for new aircraft. Those regulations should, however, speed up the certification process, which is currently cumbersome in that regard. That could be a positive for the 737-7, 737-10, and 777-X certifications currently underway.
- NASA turns to SpaceX to return Boeing’s stranded crew – Financial Mail
- Inside Boeing’s factory lapses that led to the Alaska Air blowout – Seattle Times
- Boeing whistleblower points to past electrical wiring defects in 737 MAX – Seattle Times
- Qantas 787 sustained damage during takeoff from Rome airport – Aviation A2Z
- FAA proposes new cybersecurity regulations for newly built aircraft – Aerotime Hub
