The company has been beset by quality problems — like a whole fuselage panel blowing off an Alaska Airlines jet — in manufacturing of its popular 737 Max jetliner. (Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times via AP)
The Federal Aviation Administration is giving Boeing 90 days to come up with a plan to fix quality problems and meet safety standards for building new planes.
The agency said Wednesday that the directive follows meetings with top Boeing officials, including the company's CEO at FAA headquarters in Washington.
“Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. “Making foundational change will require a sustained effort from Boeing’s leadership, and we are going to hold them accountable every step of the way."
The FAA said new deadline comes after FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker met with Boeing CEO David Calhoun and other top company officials.
Calhoun said that “we have a clear picture of what needs to be done” because of company and independent reviews. “Boeing will develop the comprehensive action plan with measurable criteria that demonstrates the profound change that Administrator Whitaker and the FAA demand.”
The FAA did not indicate what action it might take if Boeing fails to meet the 90-day deadline.
The FAA is currently completing an audit of assembly lines at the factory near Seattle, where Boeing builds planes like the 737 Max that suffered a door-panel blowout in January. Investigators say bolts that help keep the panel in place were missing after repair work on the Alaska Airlines jet at the Boeing factory.
This week, a panel of industry, government and academic experts issued a report that found shortcomings in the safety culture at Boeing, which the company says it has been working to improve. Boeing this month replaced the executive who had overseen the 737 program since early 2021.
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