In the wake of yet another troubling incident involving a Boeing aircraft part deciding it no longer wished to remain attached, the Federal Aviation Administration has politely but firmly knocked on Boeing’s proverbial front door with a request for answers, timelines and perhaps a renewed sense of grip strength. Specifically, the FAA is asking Boeing’s senior leadership for a comprehensive plan to fix what appears to be a growing tendency of door plugs on the company’s 737 Max 9 jets to part ways midair, an activity which is frowned upon both by the laws of physics and the general public.
This all comes after a panel known as a door plug, which is typically quite content just blending into the fuselage like an introvert at an office party, decided to fly solo during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. That impromptu skydiving act prompted the FAA to ground over 170 aircraft and begin a full-blown audit of Boeing’s production processes. Meanwhile, passengers on that fateful flight were reminded that economy seats do not come with parachutes.
The FAA, whose patience appears to be wearing thinner than a complimentary airline pillow, said it is requiring Boeing to develop and implement a plan to address systemic quality control issues. This plan must be presented within 90 days, presumably to give Boeing time to locate a whiteboard and rediscover the concept of quality assurance.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker, possibly trying to avoid sounding too exasperated, stated that Boeing “must commit to real and profound improvements.” He added that the company needs to go beyond mere compliance and instead develop a “robust quality system.” In other words, doing the bare minimum is no longer in vogue.
For its part, Boeing issued a statement saying it is fully committed to listening to the FAA and its customers and is already changing production processes. Presumably these changes include attaching door plugs with things sturdier than hopes and dreams. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said he takes “full accountability” for the issues and is deploying both time and treasure to the problem, which in corporate speak usually means money is being spent but nobody should expect a fix by next Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines and United Airlines have returned most of their grounded aircraft to service, once doors were deemed sufficiently loyal to the fuselage. Still, the incident has prompted a fresh round of scrutiny into Boeing’s operations, which have been no strangers to controversy ever since the Max series tried to impersonate a trampoline during previous safety scandals.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report found that the door plug was missing four key bolts before takeoff, which may help explain its sudden enthusiasm for fresh air. In response, Boeing said it is working closely with regulators and going over their inspection checklists with what we can only hope is a more focused pair of eyes.
Whether Boeing can restore confidence with regulators and its airline partners remains to be seen. For now, customers may wish to add “intact door” to their personal pre-flight checklist, nestled somewhere between locating the emergency exit and wondering why they booked the middle seat again.
It turns out when you say you want more legroom, the aircraft is not supposed to help by removing a side panel.