Leaders of the US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee have requested a government review into the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight of the production of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. The Dreamliner program has been beset by production issues that have hindered deliveries of the jet over the past year.
US House reviewing FAA inspection program
With the FAA investigation into Boeing’s production issues with the 787 Dreamliner still ongoing, the US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has requested a review of the FAA’s inspection program.
Committee Chair Representative Peter DeFazio and top Republican Representative Sam Graves have submitted a review request to the Transportation Department’s Office of Inspector General, Eric Soskin. They are joined by aviation subcommittee Chair Rick Larsen and top Republican Garret Graves.
Representatives said in a letter to Inspector General Soskin,
“We are writing to request that the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General conduct a review of the FAA’s oversight of the manufacture and production of the Boeing 787. We request that your office… evaluate whether the FAA’s existing inspection program is sufficient to identify production issues involving the 787.”
The Inspector General will be asked to determine, “whether the FAA’s existing inspection program is sufficient to identify production issues, including whether FAA has enough inspectors, whether FAA performs enough inspections, and whether FAA has appropriate processes in place to identify production issues.”
Boeing continues inspections
Boeing said on Friday that it is completing inspections of the 787 program and supply chain issues. The planemaker has halted deliveries of the jet over the past 13 months due to production problems.
Boeing first halted deliveries from October 2020 to March 2021 before a brief resumption. However, in May, deliveries were again stopped after the FAA raised concerns with its inspection methods.
The planemaker said,
“We are completing comprehensive inspections across 787 production and within the supply chain, while holding detailed, transparent discussions with the FAA, suppliers and our customers.”
The manufacturer recently revealed that it expects 787 reworks to cost the company around $1 billion. In July, Boeing stated that it had cut its monthly production rate from five jets down to two.
Boeing added,
“We are taking the time needed to ensure the highest levels of quality, and while these efforts will continue to impact deliveries, we’re confident this is the right approach to drive stability and first-time quality across our operations.”
Boeing completes door-surround rework
Boeing recently confirmed that it is completing reworks on “aft body door surrounds” on passenger and cargo doors on the 787 Dreamliner. This means that the assembly of affected components will be held up, and Boeing can complete reworks before the final assembly of its jets.
The company said,
“Work continues in our production facility and rates will continue to be dynamic as we focus on eliminating travelled work and prioritise resources to support our inspection and rework efforts.”
The manufacturer has maintained that 787 production issues do not affect flight safety. In October, Boeing revealed another issue with Dreamliner production involving titanium parts from an Italian sub-supplier. The company stated that the parts were “improperly manufactured.”
Do you think Boeing 787 production issues will be resolved sooner rather than later? How do you think Boeing has handled the situation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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