Boeing Faces Criticism Over Safety Concerns
WASHINGTON — In a dramatic turn of events, Boeing is set to come under fire during a US Senate hearing as a whistleblower steps forward with alarming revelations about potential safety hazards that could result in planes falling apart mid-air.
Engineer Sam Salehpour bravely spoke out to NBC News, expressing his concerns regarding the 787 Dreamliner, only to have Boeing dismiss his warnings.
With a series of safety incidents plaguing the company, including a mid-air panel blowout in January, all eyes are on Boeing as it defends its practices and claims to be fully cooperating with the Senate inquiry.
Prior to the hearing scheduled for Wednesday, Salehpour shed light on the alleged safety issues with the 787 Dreamliner in an exclusive interview with NBC.
He raised fears about the possibility of the plane simply dropping out of the sky if manufacturing flaws were not addressed, pinpointing gaps between components that surfaced during the plane’s assembly.
When asked if he would allow his own family to board one of Boeing’s 787s, Salehpour bluntly responded, “Right now, I would not.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into Salehpour’s claims, originally brought to light by the New York Times.
While Boeing, one of the world’s leading commercial plane manufacturers, continues to assert the safety of its jets, the company has refuted Salehpour’s allegations.
Boeing stated to NBC, “These claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate. The issues raised have been subject to rigorous engineering examination under FAA oversight.”
During a recent event on Monday, the company emphasized that 99% of the gaps met the standard requirements and testing showed “zero fatigue.”
Adding to the mounting concerns are worries over the safety of Boeing’s 737 Max jets, as evidenced by a recent incident in January where a 737 Max 9 had to make an emergency landing after a door panel blew out mid-air over Portland, Oregon.
Although passengers escaped unharmed, the incident prompted numerous flight cancellations and reignited scrutiny of Boeing, which had previously grounded the 737 Max 8 following fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
Labeling Salehpour’s allegations as “deeply serious,” Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal is set to preside over Wednesday’s hearing, where a representative from the FAA is also expected to testify.
While Boeing representatives will be absent, the company has assured its cooperation with the proceedings by offering to provide “documents, testimony and technical briefings.” — BBC
