4 TAKEAWAYS ABOUT BOEING’S QUALITY PROBLEMS

BOEING

has faced intense scrutiny and pressure since a panel ' 2 *ƥ ƳƯƳ 3 Ƶ .#*-/'4 Ƥ - /# +' ) Ǡ ) ' .& $-'$) . ƣ$"#/ǡ /**& *ƥ *) January 5. The episode raised fresh questions about the quality of the planes the company +-* 0 . . 1 - ' 4 -. Ƥ - /2* 3 ƴ +' ) . - .# Ǡ &$''$)" ) -'4 ƯƱƬ + *+' ǟ

Interviews with more than two dozen current and former employees reveal long-standing concerns about quality, particularly as pressure increased to keep production going in the *(+ )4ǭ. ! /*-$ .ǟ

Now, Boeing faces an immense challenge as it seeks to make changes that improve the quality of its products and regain its credibility with lawmakers, regulators, airlines and the public.

Here are some takeaways.

Current and former Boeing employees said that for years it felt as if quality took a back seat to keeping planes moving through its factories.

In interviews, former and current Boeing employees described worrying practices, including attempts to circumvent quality procedures. One was “inspector shopping,” in which 2*-& -. 2*0' . & *0/ $).+ /*-. 2$''$)" /* .$") *ƥ *) 2*-& with little pushback.

Boeing said it did not allow inspector shopping and had increased the number of quality inspectors for commercial planes ƮƬʻ .$) ƮƬƬƵǞ ).+ /$*). + - +' ) '.* -*. .$($' - (*0)/ over that period, the company said.

1 ) !*- /# /2* ! / ' 3 - .# .Ǡ $) Ʈƭƭƴ ) ƮƬƬƵǠ Boeing was trying to keep up with its main rival, Airbus, which # $)/-* 0 ) 2Ǡ !0 'Ƕ Ʀ $ )/ +' ) ! 2 4 -. !*- /#

3 " ) ƣ4$)"ǟ Ƥ - /# - .# .Ǡ $- 0. " $) 1 ) (*ground, putting pressure on Boeing to catch up once the Max 2 . ++-*1 /* ƣ4 " $) $) ' / ƮƬƮƬǞ

* $)"ǭ.2*-&!*- 2 )//#-*0"# ( %*-/0-)*1 - 0. *! the coronavirus pandemic. The company lost thousands of expe-$ ) (+'*4 . /* ' 4*ƥ.ǡ 04*0/.Ǡ - /$- ( )/. ) - .$") tions.

Even though Boeing has since replenished its ranks, current and former employees say a lot of institutional knowledge has been lost, and its workers have less experience than they used /*ǟ * $)"ǭ. .0++'$ -.Ǡ ! $)" .$($' - +-* ' (.Ǡ # 1 '.* # trouble producing parts at the rate that Boeing wanted them.

$) )0 -4ƱǠ/# *(+ )4# .ǟ! 2 1 Ƥ -2 1 *!) " tive publicity. Its regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, $) - . $).+ /$*). / /# *(+ )4ǭ. ! /*-$ .ǟ ) $/. 0.tomers have criticised Boeing.

.$3Ƕ2 & 0 $/ *! * $)"ǭ. ƳƯƳ 3 +-* 0 /$*) * 0mented dozens of lapses in quality-control practices. The agency gave the company until late May to address quality-control issues. The Justice Department has also started a criminal investigation of the company.

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Boeing has announced several steps to improve quality, including adding inspections at its factory in Renton, Washington, where Max planes are assembled.

It has also said it will no longer accept Max bodies from Spirit Aerosystems, a key supplier based in Wichita, Kansas, that still ) 2*-&ǟ / +- 1$*0.'4 /*' - / ƣ 2. /# / *0' ơ3 ' / - in the interest of adhering to a tight production schedule.

The company also said that since January 5, employees had asked for more training and that it was working on meeting /#*. ) .Ǡ $) '0 $)" 4 $)" /- $)$)" *) /# ! /*-4 ƣ**this month.

And on Monday, Boeing announced sweeping changes to its leadership: Its CEO, Dave Calhoun, who took the job in January ƮƬƮƬ1*2$)"/*$(+-*1 /# *(+ )4ǭ.. ! /4 0'/0- Ǡ2$''./ +

*2) / /# ) *! /# 4 -Ǣ /# # *! * $)"ǭ. *(( - $ ' airplane unit, Stan Deal, is leaving immediately; and the board chair, Larry Kellner, has stepped down from that position and will not seek reelection to the board.