Some Boeing airplanes may just "fall apart" in the air - former company engineer

It seems that Boeing is going through a rough patch. Recently, they have been heavily criticized for safety issues with their airplanes. And there are valid reasons for that.

Last week, during the takeoff of a Boeing 737-800 aircraft belonging to Southwest Airlines from Denver International Airport, the engine casing fell off, slightly hitting the flaps. A week earlier, the same Southwest Airlines had to cancel a flight of a Boeing 737-800 at a Texas international airport after the crew reported engine problems. In January, a door of an emergency exit fell off one of the Boeing planes during a flight at an altitude of 5 km. In 2018 and 2019, there were crashes involving Boeing 737 Max aircraft, resulting in the deaths of 189 and 157 people, respectively.

Additionally, last month a corporate whistleblower and former Boeing employee who sued the company was found dead in a motel parking lot. Despite officials declaring the man's death a suicide, this incident generated conspiracy theories and worsened the public relations crisis.

Now, a new whistleblower has emerged, making troubling accusations against the company.

Former engineer Sam Salehpour, who worked at Boeing for over 10 years, filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration in January regarding his concerns, primarily related to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Salehpour claims that the company made production changes in how the "sections of the aircraft were aligned and fastened together on the conveyor," which could lead to the fuselage of the aircraft "falling apart" after thousands of flights. He explains that the aircraft's fuselage consists of several parts - all from different manufacturers. The problem lies in the fact that they are not exactly the same shape in the areas where they are joined together.

Boeing confirmed the production changes mentioned by Salehpour but denied that they pose safety problems. The company stated that they are "fully confident in the 787 Dreamliner" and that allegations of safety issues are "inaccurate and do not reflect the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft."

Salehpour continues to stand by his claims and is expected to appear at Congress hearings next week. The whistleblower has been invited to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's investigations subcommittee on April 17.

“I am doing this not because I want Boeing to fail, but because I want it to succeed and prevent disasters,” Salehpour told journalists. “The truth is that Boeing cannot continue as it is. I think it needs to do a little better.”

Source: gizmodo