Boeing Parts and Rules Bent, Whistle-Blowers Say

[Winehole23]

Jeannine Prewitt knew there was a problem when the holes wouldn't line up.


On a Boeing Co. assembly line in Kansas in 2000, Prewitt saw workers drilling extra holes in the long aluminum ribs that make up the skeleton of a jetliner's fuselage. That was the only way the workers could attach the pieces, because some of their pre-drilled holes didn't match those on the airframe.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/16/AR2006041600803.html

[Winehole23]

Al Jazeera obtained an internal draft memorandum (http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Documents/2010/12/14/201012141183199738Boeing_Internal_report_-_August_21,_2000.pdf) prepared by senior Boeing officials in August 2000 and intended to be sent to the company's top management. It warned:

"The severity of these conditions is documented via photographs and poses a quality risk to the production of quality airplane parts ...


"Misrepresentation of the manufacturing process jeopardises the integrity of airplane parts ...


" ... this situation cannot be ignored ...


" ... the integrity of AHF-Ducommun as a partnered supplier places the Boeing Company at risk.
"Immediately cease all new business activity with AHF-Ducommun and consider disengagement ..."




What happened to this memorandum is a mystery: today, Boeing refuses to discuss it - or what actions it took on the recommendations.


But Gigi Prewitt and Taylor Smith say that ill-fitting and out of contour parts continued to arrive from AHF Ducommun - and that assembly workers in Wichita took dangerous short-cuts to get them to fit.



Some parts were so badly out of shape that they had to be beaten on to the airframe with hammers - a process which builds in potentially lethal pre-stress.


The FAA had given Boeing "delegated authority" to police itself on matters like this - provided it reported problems voluntarily.http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/peopleandpower/2010/12/20101214104637901849.html

[greyforest]

The news isn't much of a shock, as much of the regulatory agencies in the US are dog-and-pony shows laughed at by the companies they are supposed to be policing. However, the aircraft industry in particular has a unique characteristic. It's always been pretty self-regulatory due to its very unforgiving margin for error.

Due to that, I'd say the FAA is a lot less in need of overhaul than, say, the FDA, IRS, or the Fed.

[Wild Cobra]

Wow...

If true, depending on where these holes were, it can be a huge concern.

[boutons_deux]

trust corporations always to regulate themselves and meet standards, no matter what the cost

[ElNono]

Wow...

If true, depending on where these holes were, it can be a huge concern.

Boeing management thought it was no big deal... you obviously trust Boeing management, right?

[Wild Cobra]

Boeing management thought it was no big deal... you obviously trust Boeing management, right?
When did I ever indicate I trust management decisions?

Put them in jail if they knowingly violated safely practices during assembly!