In October 2018 and March 2019, two Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes crashed within the span of five months, leaving 346 people dead. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), both crashes were caused by flaws in flight navigation software, leading to the planes taking uncontrollable dives in altitude that could not be recovered by the pilots. In the months following the crashes, Boeing battled legal cases from victim’s families and the DOJ, which culminated in the FAA grounding all planes of the same model. After 20 months and repeated safety testing, these planes were cleared to fly once again.
“The events and lessons learned have reshaped our company and further focused our attention on our core values of safety, quality, and integrity.” stated Boeing in a statement online following the approval of the 737 MAX jets to fly again.
But that hasn’t been the end for Boeing’s safety problems. In January, an Alaskan Airline’s flight saw its door plug ripped from the fuselage, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane as it climbed to 16,000 feet. In an investigation by the FAA, four key bolts were found to be missing from the doors attachment to the body of the plane. No fatalities occurred, however for many this incident is seen as a callback to the previous negligence of Boeing in the crashes years prior.
Boeing has taken all responsibility for the accident. “Boeing is accountable for what happened,” said Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun in a statement regarding the January door blowout. “We simply must be better. Our customers deserve better.”
More recently, eight other Boeing flights have been forced to undergo emergency landings in the past month. According to the New York Times, these have been caused by a variety of issues stemming from hydraulic leaks, a lost tire, and even plastic wrap that burned after being absorbed into an engine. Among the commotion, the numerous incidents have raised questions about the safety of aviation travel in our modern day.
“In commercial aviation, you really can’t have any of these catastrophic events,” said Chris Weber, co-founder of Weber Aviation, an airplane consulting firm based in Libertyville. “It’s not like a fatal car accident. There’s probably one of those happening right now in the Chicagoland area and we won’t even hear about it. But when an airplane goes down, it’s not just national news, it’s worldwide news.”
Following the incidents, the FAA put Boeing factories under heavy scrutiny, and conducted an investigation to evaluate the quality-control of their manufacturing process. According to a report published by the New York Times, Boeing failed 33 of 89 safety audits conducted. Additionally, inspections of existing planes found that missing and loose bolts were consistent within multiple other aircrafts that were in use.
When problems such as these arise in the manufacturing process, the FAA has the ability to issue Airworthiness Directives, or ADs.
“An Airworthiness Directive is basically an inspection or a change that has to be done before the airplane can return to flight,” said Weber. “So each AD has its own timeline. Sometimes they’ll give them a couple weeks, sometimes they’ll say it can’t fly another flight. It’s dependent on the severity of the AD.”
On Jan. 18, an AD was issued on certain models of 737 MAX 9 aircrafts, grounding them temporarily to address safety concerns present.
Other concerns have been raised regarding the apparent suicide of whistleblower and former quality control manager for Boeing, John Barnett. His death came after he had testified in court against the air manufacturer, accusing Boeing of prioritizing profits over the safety and quality of their aircrafts. In an interview with NPR following his death, Barnett’s family stated that he suffered PTSD and anxiety “as a result of being subjected to the hostile work environment at Boeing.”
In recent news, Dave Calhoun has officially stepped down from his position as CEO of Boeing. In an interview with CNBC, he claimed that the decision was “100%” his own. He is the second CEO to leave the company following incidents related to the 737 MAX planes. In 2019, former CEO Denis Muilenburg was ousted by company board members following the successive crashes.
With all of Boeing’s mishaps, there has been an increasing spotlight on the aviation industry as a whole. But regardless of the safety scares, air transit is still by and large the safest form of travel. According to a study conducted by Harvard, the chances of being in a fatal airplane crash are one in 11 million.
“I think it all has to be taken in perspective,” said Weber. “These events have happened since the introduction of aviation. Of course there should be cause for concern that the issues are happening, and these issues need to be resolved. But if somebody is about to enjoy their spring break and they’re wondering, ‘is it safe to fly commercial airlines?’ the answer is a resounding yes.”