FAA Head Vows Increase in Boeing Oversight

The agency is shifting to a more proactive approach in monitoring the company's safety culture, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker told lawmakers.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, June 14, 2024 at 11:43 AM ET

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Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker testified on Boeing and aviation safety before the Senate Commerce Committee Thursday. [C-SPAN screenshot]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA is implementing a significantly more "hands-on" approach to monitoring Boeing's aircraft construction, deploying more inspectors until the company demonstrates a robust safety culture.
This heightened oversight stems from recent incidents, particularly the Alaska Airlines door plug detachment, which exposed inadequate manufacturing oversight and a previously "too hands-off" FAA approach.
Boeing is undertaking a comprehensive plan to improve its safety culture, quality assurance, and manufacturing processes, including increased employee training and encouraging reporting of safety issues without fear of retaliation.

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Boeing can expect the FAA to take a more hands-on approach when it comes to monitoring aircraft construction until the manufacturer can demonstrate it has established an adequate safety culture, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker told the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday.

“This is about systemic change, and there’s a lot of work to be done. It’s the beginning of a long journey,” Whitaker told the Senate panel during the hearing.