The US Federal Aviation Administration, heavily criticized following the crashes of two Boeing aircraft in 2018 and 2019, finds itself once again embroiled in the turbulence surrounding the major American aerospace manufacturer.
The alarming mid-flight rupture of a fuselage panel on an Alaska Airlines aircraft on January 5 triggered the departure of several top Boeing executives, including CEO Dave Calhoun, who is scheduled to step down by year’s end, and led to the scaled-back production of the 737 MAX.
Amidst multiple inquiries and audits both in the United States and abroad, Boeing has reassured critics on numerous occasions that it is operating “with complete transparency and under the supervision” of FAA regulators.
However, the FAA, which has experienced four leadership changes since August 2019, cannot avoid its share of responsibility. “The FAA must be held accountable as well,” stated Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chairs a subcommittee investigating Boeing’s safety practices.
In response to the January panel incident, the agency deployed a team to inspect Boeing facilities and provided the company with a 90-day window to submit an “action plan” to address several areas of concern.
“I believe the FAA is making the best effort it can and has significantly enhanced its oversight of Boeing,” remarked Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation consultant and former head of the agency’s investigation division. However, he noted the agency’s failure to identify production issues, attributing this to the longstanding practice of relying on manufacturers to self-report problems.
With limited funds and personnel, the FAA has traditionally delegated quality assurance responsibilities to authorized employees of airplane manufacturers, a practice criticized for its inherent conflict of interest.
Hassan Shahidi, president of the nonprofit Flight Safety Foundation, called for a shift where the FAA assumes greater direct oversight responsibility. While he acknowledged some progress, he emphasized the need for more FAA inspectors and reduced reliance on manufacturers for regulatory authority.
Richard Aboulafia, managing director of the AeroDynamic Advisory consultancy, believes additional oversight and resources can address these concerns, asserting that the agency is currently moving in the right direction.
The allocation of resources hinges on congressional approval, with the Senate recently endorsing a “record” level of funding for the FAA over the next five years. Senator Maria Cantwell, chair of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, emphasized the importance of maintaining a gold standard for safety and increasing inspections with the approved funding.
Industry-wide shortages of qualified personnel, compounded by the pandemic, have exacerbated challenges at every stage of manufacturing, from supply chain management to production and maintenance.
The FAA’s recruitment efforts have also faced hurdles, as competitive private sector salaries and benefits have made it difficult to attract and retain talent.
Whistleblower Joe Jacobsen, who testified before Blumenthal’s committee in mid-April, revealed that investigations into the 2018 and 2019 Boeing crashes uncovered the company’s deliberate concealment of problems in a software system linked to the accidents. Jacobsen, a former FAA and Boeing employee, accused the agency of being too beholden to Boeing.
An audit by the Transportation Department’s inspector general into the FAA’s oversight of 737 and 787 production is currently underway, with a final report expected this summer. The inspector general’s office previously identified deficiencies in the FAA’s certification and delegation processes related to the 737 MAX 8 in 2021.
