FAA safety oversight “not a one year project” as Boeing details progress
January 3, 2025
Despite progress having been made with what Boeing describes as “tangible improvements” to its manufacturing processes and internal reporting procedures, ongoing work remains to be done to fix “systemic production quality problems” identified by the FAA – with both providing updates as to ongoing initiatives.
In a safety update, Boeing highlighted four main categories of improvements on track to achieve this change: including elevating safety and quality culture, investing in workforce training, simplifying manufacturing processes and plans, and eliminating defects. These, revealed Boeing, have “significantly reduced defects” in fuselages provided by key supplier Spirit AeroSystems.
Writing in a blog post, outgoing FAA administrator Mike Whitaker – who will step down when President Elect Donald Trump takes office – said that although “Boeing is working to make progress executing its comprehensive plan in the areas of safety, quality improvement and effective employee engagement and training,” this is “not a one-year-project”.
“Because of our work, we received a surge in employee safety reports during the past year, and that’s encouraging,” clarified Whitaker – highlighting this increased reporting as “one sign of a healthy safety culture”. In April 2024, the FAA required Boeing to produce a Safety Management System to ensure what Walker termed “a structured, repeatable, systematic approach to identifying hazards and managing risk”, which encouraged employees to speak up without fear or reprisal.
Whitaker reaffirmed his belief that “what’s needed is a fundamental cultural shift at Boeing that’s oriented around safety and quality above profits” – something that will “require sustained effort and commitment from Boeing, and unwavering scrutiny on [the FAA’s] part”.
Whitaker last visited Boeing’s factory floor in December 2024 (the culmination of several visits), commenting at the time that “as expected, Boeing has made progress executing its comprehensive [safety] plan in these areas,” something the FAA pledged to continue monitoring closely. No successor for the role of FAA administrator has yet been confirmed by the incoming Trump administration.
However, with the FAA continuing to evaluate all aspects of its oversight, “we will review any recommendations the NTSB provides, as well as any other recommendations from other parties including the Office of Inspector General, to improve our internal processes,” concluded Whitaker. “Our enhanced oversight is here to stay.”
