Posted on 02/21/2024 3:47:21 PM PST by T.B. Yoits
Boeing Co. fired the head of its 737 Max aircraft program Wednesday, shaking its leadership amid the fallout of a midair blowout of an Alaska Airlines door plug in January.
Ed Clark, who headed the 737 Max division, will leave Boeing immediately, according to a memo from CEO Stan Deal.
Deal said the leadership changes are emblematic of the company’s “enhanced focus on ensuring that every airplane we deliver meets or exceeds all quality and safety requirements. Our customers demand, and deserve, nothing less.”
The Alaska Airlines incident resulted in an Federal Aviation Administration-mandated grounding of the 737 Max 9 aircraft and regulatory scrutiny that discovered numerous issues in the manufacturing process. The company recently announced it will completely overhaul its quality control process, especially at the Renton, Wash., factory where the 737 Max 9 aircraft are built.
Inspectors discovered loose and missing bolts in multiple 737 Max 9 aircraft, including inside door plugs, the failed part that caused the Alaska Airlines incident. Nobody was injured in that case, but it sparked public backlash against the company and hurt its stock price. The company’s stock has fallen about 12.5 percent since.
Flights began on 737 Max 9 aircraft for the first time late last month, following intensive inspections.
Clark took over the 737 Max program in 2021 after two crashes caused by a faulty autopilot system. The aircraft was grounded for nearly two years due to the crashes, which killed nearly 350 people.
“Ed departs with my, and our, deepest gratitude for his many significant contributions over nearly 18 years of dedicated service to Boeing,” Deal wrote in the memo.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Gate. Horse. Barn.
Boeing…Boeing…Gone!
Bout time!
The thing about Boeing is this: It’s Boeing in name only. It’s really McDonnell Douglas. It just kept the Boeing name because it had more clout. The company is acting like McDonnel Douglas.
Someone had to take the fall. But it seems a little late.
The hatch is only part of the problem. The other problem is that the decompression blew open the cockpit door. So much for post-9/11 security.
“Ed departs with my, and our, deepest gratitude for his many significant contributions over nearly 18 years of dedicated service to Boeing.”The only thing missing is the standard "We wish him best of luck in his new endeavors."
Head rolls..........
Having your HQ in Chitcago instead of in the NW where the engineering and production are centered is STUPID!
“Gate. Horse. Barn.”
Still, it’s PROGRESS. It took them 2 YEARS to replace anyone responsible for the plane crashes involving the Max, now it’s closer to 2 MONTHS.
Who knows, a few hundred more dead, and maybe 2 weeks, assuming their Shareholders approve.
The Captain fired the First Mate as the ship is sinking.............
You know what they say,
Eds will roll!
Some one had to go. The captain is responsible to know what the first mate had for breakfast.
Most likely correct!
Boeing doesn’t want the finger pointing at outsourcing and DIE.
I know nothing about Boeing. But in my experience, enterprises like this tend to have a fundamental division of leadership:
Program Managers focus on Cost and Schedule. Then want to spend as little as possible to get things done, and they want the work done quickly so that they can meet an aggressive schedule.
On the other side, you have Technical Leadership such as a Chief Engineer. That person focuses on Quality and Technical excellence. Making sure that all i’s are dotted, t’s are crossed and the final product is as good as can be.
And in my experience, the Chief Engineer is always right there with the Program Manager, nodding his head saying, “Cost and Schedule. Yeah. How we doin’? Do you need me to cut some more corners? Because I could you know. If it would speed things up. Or up the profit margin. Just say the word ...”
Yep
(Boeing found their scapegoat)
Yep. They hope......
🔝🔝
Most of the Boeing 737 Max software is written by H1B Indian migrants.
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