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FAA Admits to Being "Too Hands-Off" in Oversight of Boeing

The FAA has acknowledged that it was "too hands-off" in its oversight of Boeing, leading to safety problems at the aircraft manufacturer. The agency has changed its approach, moving to a more active, comprehensive oversight model.

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Bijay Laxmi
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FAA Admits to Being "Too Hands-Off" in Oversight of Boeing

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has acknowledged that it was "too hands-off" in its oversight of Boeing, leading to safety problems at the aircraft manufacturer. FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker made the admission during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing, where he testified that the agency's approach was too focused on paperwork audits and not enough on inspections.

Whitaker's testimony came in response to a January 5 incident in which a door plug blew off a Boeing 737 Max jet during an Alaska Airlines flight. The incident led to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board, which found that bolts necessary to keep the door plug in place were missing from the plane at the time it left the Boeing factory.

Whitaker acknowledged that the FAA did not have enough inspectors on the ground at Boeing's factories to detect the problem. Instead, the agency was focused on paperwork audits, which did not provide a comprehensive picture of the manufacturer's operations. "We clearly did not have enough folks on the ground to see what was going on in that factory," Whitaker said.

The FAA has since changed its approach, moving to a more active, comprehensive oversight model that includes more inspectors on the ground at Boeing's factories. Whitaker said that the agency has increased the number of inspectors from 24 to over 30, with a target of 55 inspectors in the future.

Why This Matters: The FAA's admission of being "too hands-off" in its oversight of Boeing highlights the importance of robust regulatory oversight in ensuring safety in the aviation industry. The incident also underscores the need for manufacturers to prioritize safety and quality control in their operations.

Key Takeaways

  • The FAA was "too hands-off" in its oversight of Boeing, leading to safety problems.
  • The agency's approach was too focused on paperwork audits and not enough on inspections.
  • The FAA has changed its approach, moving to a more active, comprehensive oversight model.
  • The agency has increased the number of inspectors on the ground at Boeing's factories.
  • The incident highlights the importance of robust regulatory oversight and prioritizing safety and quality control in manufacturing operations.