Boeing Commercial Airplanes has consistently been under legal radar for its plummeting technical expertise which has led to numerous on-ground crashes and mid-air mechanical malfunctions.
A Houston-bound, Boeing 737-800 operated by Southwest was forced to return back after its engine cover broke off and hit the plane’s wing during take-off. The aircraft had 135 passengers and six crew members on board and rose to 10,000 feet before it was returned safely to Denver International Airport.
🚨 A Southwest Boeing 737-800 during takeoff experienced an engine cover breaking off, striking the wing. The flight, with 135 passengers and 6 crew, returned to the departure airport.$BA $LUV #Boeing
Read more 👇https://t.co/ctCDcSpV4K pic.twitter.com/lGzPJ05WE6
— BigBreakingWire (@BigBreakingWire) April 8, 2024
The company deferred from comments and asked Southwest for information on plane and fleet operations. It is not the first time when the aerospace prodigy has ‘landed’ in serious legal troubles. There have been string of cases in the past where the company’s technical expertise were questioned.
A brief insight of the Boeing’s many ‘unhappy’ ventures
“It is as if I’m watching a troubled child” is how Captain Dennis Tajer describes flying a Boeing 737 Max. His comments were thrusted upon the lack of consideration which companies undertake to address critical grieviances. This time these comments were especially focused on Boeing aerospace company and the poor trust it burdens on its employees.
The trouble began in January when an unfitted emergency-exit door blew-off from a brand new Boeing 737 Max shortly after takeoff from Portland International Airport. The investigation which followed later concluded that four bolts were required to attach the door to the aircraft that had not been fitted.
Though no fatal causalities were reported, the incident exposed critical safety issues of the company’s mechanical aspects which were enough to damage its overhead spotlight.
The damage since then has only worsen when five years ago, two fatal incidences, both credited to Boeing 737 Max costed 346 lives. The cause was flawed flight control software, information of which was deliberately concealed from the regulators.
The company has not only been charged with heavy compensatory obligations by law-enforcement agencies but also suffocated under criminal prosecutions by families of the victims who time and again have pleaded for the company’s indictment to the same Congress who has been busy renaming Dulles International airport after Donald Trump
Boeing ‘unhealthy’ workplace environment
A quality manager on the 787 Dreamliner Programme had claimed the rush the company professes to maximize its profits which has led to unsafe practices. Under-pressure mechanical staff in order to meet deadlines have purposefully fitted substandard parts to planes on the production lines.
There have been innumerable reports suggestive of Boeing’s unhealthy work culture, finding a ‘disconnect’ between senior management and regular staff. The report suggests fear of retaliation hinders free-flow workplace communication where staff is mostly scared to put-forth their recommendations to their managers.
The stringent hierarchical-based working environment has led many of FAA’s suggestions ineffective. The company has denied almost all the allegations imposed upon it. It restores it claims of being the ‘innocent’ player or undergoing managerial changes to boost confidence among customers and authority-regulators.
Boeing says that over the last several years, “it has never hesitated to slow down, halt production, or to stop deliveries to take the time we need to make things right”, in an official statement. It also reiterated the ‘Speak Up’ program the company has undertaken to encourage staff to raise issues that need to be addressed.
“Boeing, their suppliers, airlines and government agencies are capable of overcoming these challenges, but the first step in fixing these problems is being honest”, said a staff-member.