In a significant escalation of safety concerns surrounding Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, engineer Sam Salehpour has called for a temporary grounding of all such aircraft globally to allow for thorough safety checks. This statement was part of an interview set to be broadcast in full on "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt" this Tuesday. The timing is crucial as Salehpour is scheduled to testify before Congress on Wednesday regarding the safety issues he previously reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
During the interview, Salehpour expressed urgent concerns about the 787's structural integrity. "The entire fleet worldwide, as far as I'm concerned right now, needs attention," he said. He emphasized the need for immediate checks on the aircraft's fuselage gaps to prevent premature failures. This follows his allegations in a January letter to FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, wherein he detailed significant lapses in Boeing’s production and quality control processes. According to Salehpour, changes in the assembly line's fitting and fastening procedures have led to critical safety risks, potentially affecting the fuselage of the 787 and 777 jets.
Boeing, however, disputes Salehpour's claims. A company spokesperson stated that the issues raised had undergone "rigorous engineering examination under FAA oversight" and were found not to compromise the aircraft's safety or its operational lifespan. The spokesperson further clarified that while there have been changes to the manufacturing process, these were not connected to the alleged safety risks.
The controversy arrives amid broader scrutiny of Boeing's safety practices. A report released in February by aviation experts criticized the company's safety culture as "inadequate and confusing." The report offered 50 recommendations for Boeing, urging a comprehensive review and a timely strategy to address these issues, to be shared with the FAA.
Salehpour's forthcoming testimony alongside other aviation experts to the Senate Commerce Committee is expected to delve deeper into these safety concerns and the adequacy of Boeing's response to them. This testimony follows closely on the heels of growing public and regulatory scrutiny regarding airline safety standards.
