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(The Center Square)–A year after a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX midflight, a Federal Aviation Administration official says the company is in need of “a fundamental cultural shift … oriented around safety and quality above profits.”
A Thursday blog by FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker detailed how the federal agency responded after the incident, including the ensuing investigation, as well as the resulting oversight and safety protocol changes at Boeing.
On Friday, Boeing issued a news release on the company’s Safety and Quality Plan, which focused on “investing in workforce training, simplifying plans and processes, eliminating defects, and elevating our safety and quality culture.”
Alaska Airlines flight 1282 left Portland International Airport on Jan. 5, 2024, headed for Ontario, California. Shortly after takeoff, a door panel blew out, causing the plane to rapidly depressurize. The aircraft returned to Portland for an emergency landing. All 171 passengers and six crew members survived, with a few passengers treated for minor injuries.
Dozens who were on board have filed lawsuits against Boeing, Alaska Airlines and Spirit AeroSystems.
The FAA grounded all Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft operated by U.S. airlines and Boeing halted production of the Boeing 737 MAX at its facility in Renton, Wash.
A month after the incident, a National Transportation Safety Board report concluded that four bolts securing the door plug were missing. The bolts had not been replaced after repairs.
The FAA sent inspectors to production facilities and conducted an in-depth audit of the production line, simultaneously ordering Boeing “to develop a comprehensive plan to fix its systemic production quality problems,” Whitaker noted in his blog.
Soon after the incident, the FAA also emphasized an employee whistleblower hotline.
“Because of our work, we received a surge in employee safety reports during the past year, and that’s encouraging,” Whitaker continued. “An increase in reports – whether at a manufacturer, an airline or at the FAA – can be one sign of a healthy safety culture.
Boeing outlined steps it has taken since the incident in a news release emailed to The Center Square.
Investments in workforce training include “mandatory Product Safety and Quality Training for all employees, strengthened training for mechanics and quality inspectors with an enhanced support system, including workplace coaches, peer trainers, and skill enhancement centers, and the addition of hundreds of hours of new curriculum to training programs.”
Close oversight by the FAA continues, according to Whitaker.
“This is not a one-year project,” he wrote. “What’s needed is a fundamental cultural shift at Boeing that’s oriented around safety and quality above profits. That will require sustained effort and commitment from Boeing, and unwavering scrutiny on our part.”
Last year was costly for Boeing in other ways, too. Company machinists went on strike in a contract dispute that lasted more than 50 days, idling the aerospace giant’s aircraft production.
As reported by The Center Square, the offer ultimately accepted by striking members included a 38% general wage increase over four years, a $12,000 ratification payment, and an annual bonus incentive plan with a guaranteed minimum payout of 4%.
During the strike, Boeing also announced plans to lay off 10% of its workforce, which amounts to some 17,000 employees. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said the strike was not to blame for the layoffs, but rather the result of overstaffing.
Mysterious “Skyquakes” Are Causing Strange “Booms” in the Sky, and Scientists Have No Explanation
by Michael Snyder
(End of the American Dream)—What is causing the extremely loud “booms” that people are hearing in the sky all over the world? We are being told that “skyquakes” are responsible, but scientists have no idea why these “skyquakes” are occurring. In some cases, the “skyquakes” cause such powerful shaking that…
The Biggest Sale on Long-Term Storage Beef EVER
by Sponsored Post
Let’s cut to the chase. Prepper All-Naturals is offering an unprecedented 40% off for it’s “Beef Steak” survival bags with promo code “steak40”. With a 25-year shelf life and a single ingredient (beef, of course), our most popular product is available for a very limited time with the biggest discount…
Seattle Is Ordered to Stop Blocking Illegal Alien Deportations in the Most Hilarious Court Decision Ever
by PJ Media
A federal court has just pooped in the oatmeal of the West Coast, Messed Coast™governors and local election officials suffering from acute cases of Trump Derangement Syndrome who think they can stop illegal alien deportations. And after this hilarious and thorough legal takedown from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals,…
Illegal Alien Terror Suspect Found Dead in Cook County Jail Cell
by Slay News
An Islamic illegal alien has been found dead in his jail cell after being arrested on terrorism charges. According to CWBChicago, 22-year-old Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi was found dead at the Cook County jail in Illinois on Saturday. Abdallahi was arrested on felony terrorism and hate crime charges in October. He…
Trump’s Wild Bunch Is Ready for Action
by Frank Miele
If for no other reason than that it will elicit fear in the hearts of autocracy-phobics, I propose that Donald Trump’s second-term Cabinet be known as “The Wild Bunch.” The name is best known as the title of Sam Peckinpah’s classic 1969 western featuring a colorful cast of aging outlaws…
FAA Issues Flight Restrictions Over Questionable Drone Activity Near Trump’s Bedminster Golf Course
by Just The News
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday said that it has issued two flight restrictions on the area surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf club in New Jersey, following questionable drone activity. The drone sightings were first reported on Nov. 18, but have continued into this week, according to Fox…
Ex-FBI Agent Convicted for Stealing From Jan 6 Defendant During Raid
by Trending Politics
A former Houston-based FBI agent has been convicted of stealing valuables and cash while conducting searches. In one instance, the agent stole cash and silver bars from a non-violent January 6 defendant’s home. Nicholas Anthony Williams, 36, was indicted on January 31 in the Southern District of Texas. Williams, who…
Democrats, Media Elite Urge Biden to Pardon Trump’s Alleged ‘Enemies List’
by Breitbart
President Joe Biden should issue preemptive pardons to his political allies and those deemed to be on President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged “enemies list,” Democrats and their media allies believe. Delivering a preemptive pardon indicates an admission of guilt, although Democrats claim a preemptive pardon would only be intended to block…
Fani Willis Forced to Release All Communications With Jack Smith, J6 Committee
by Trending Politics
The Fulton County Superior Court has ruled against District Attorney Fani Willis, ordering her to disclose communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith and the House January 6 Committee. The decision, announced on Tuesday, follows a lawsuit brought by Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, which accused Willis of violating Georgia’s…
Lindsey Graham Is the Warmongering NeoCon Leading the Charge to Upend Pete Hegseth
by JD Rucker
Pete Hegseth represents a shift away from the wokeness that has infected the United States military. This is possibly the biggest reason President-Elect Donald Trump tapped him to be the next Secretary of Defense and the vast majority of Republicans on Capitol Hill can support this, at least for the…
‘Where Are Black Democrats?’: Charles Payne Tells Personal Story to Call Out ‘Huge Double Standard’ of Biden Family
by Nicole Silverio, DCNF
(DCNF)—Fox Business host Charles Payne called out the alleged “huge double standard” of President Joe Biden’s family Tuesday by revealing that his brother, who struggles with a crack addiction, is currently serving a jail sentence. Payne said his brother, who is getting out of jail on Friday, is likely one…
Zelensky Admits Ukraine Can’t Retake All Its Land: ‘We Must Seek Diplomatic Means’
by Breitbart
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky conceded in an interview on Tuesday that Ukraine does not have “enough forces” to restore sovereignty over Russian-occupied Crimea and “must seek diplomatic means” to end the Russian invasion and regain its land. The state-run Ukrinform outlet reported that Zelensky described Crimea – which Russia colonized…
Ultra-Processed Foods: How Bad Are They for Your Health?
by Olivia Cook
(Natural News)—Despite the serious health risks associated with eating junk food, they remain the most consumed food products in many countries, particularly developed ones. But a review published in The BMJ, which studied 9.8 million people, warns that eating a lot of ultra-processed foods can increase your risk for 32 diseases. Among these are heart…
“Already Pretty Far Down the Line”: The Container Store Could File for Bankruptcy as Soon as Next Year
by Tyler Durden, Zero Hedge
(Zero Hedge)—As the retail apocalypse that started with Amazon and e-commerce continues, the latest victim is The Container Store. The retail giant could file for bankruptcy as soon as next year, according to the New York Post, who said the retailer is blaming its recent descent on “a weak housing…
Mysterious ‘Car-Sized Drones’ Over New Jersey Prompt FBI Investigation
by Zero Hedge
Several weeks of mysterious drone swarms over the skies of one New Jersey county near the military research and manufacturing facility Picatinny Arsenal have sparked concerns among residents and prompted an FBI investigation. “It’s kind of unsettling,” Mike Walsh, a Morris County resident who has spotted the drones on numerous…
UNESCO’s New Mission: Train Influencers About Combatting Online “Misinformation”
by Reclaim the Net
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is now incorporating teaching influencers how to “fact check” into its activities. UNESCO claims that influencers have become “primary sources of news and cultural information” around the world – which prompted it to carry out a survey into how these online personalities…
