Boeing Has Been Prioritizing Production Over Safety, FAA Chief Says

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Michael Whitaker said on Tuesday that his impression from a recent visit to Boeing’s facilities suggests there are issues within the aerospace giant’s safety culture.

During an interview with NBC Nightly News, Mr. Whitaker said that the FAA’s audit and a culture survey of Boeing revealed the aircraft maker’s “priorities have been on production, and not on safety and quality.”

“So what we really are focused on now, is shifting that focus, from production to safety and quality,” the FAA administrator told the news outlet.

When asked if certain protocols were not being met regarding how the aircraft manufacturer approached airplane production, Mr. Whitaker said: “Not what you would have expected if safety is the first priority.”

“Whenever someone comes into the FAA to brief on their company, the first thing I expect is to talk about safety because we all have to start there.

Read Full Article Here