New Delhi, April 10
Boeing on Wednesday expressed confidence in safety and durability of its 787 aircraft, when federal regulators' began investigations after a whistleblower claimed that the company ignored quality and safety concerns during the production of its troubled 787 Dreamliner jets.
The company stated that reports alleging such things are "inaccurate."
Also, as per a Wall Street Journal report, a veteran Boeing engineer has filed a complaint with federal regulators alleging the company dismissed quality and safety concerns during production of its troubled 787 Dreamliner jets.
"We are fully confident in the 787 Dreamliner because of the comprehensive work done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft. These claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate," Boeing said in a statement.
The issues raised have been subject to rigorous engineering examination under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight.
Boeing further said it continues to monitor "these issues under established regulatory protocols and encourage all employees to speak up when issues arise."
Boeing said a 787 aircraft can safely operate for more than decades before it would need to enter more conservative maintenance routines for extended service.
The full service life could be as long as 40 to 50 years depending on the operator and their maintenance plan.
Since the 787 program launched 20 years ago, Boeing said it had worked to improve its production processes and incorporate the latest manufacturing techniques.
"This continuous improvement has resulted in higher quality and has had no impact on durability or safe longevity of the airframe," Boeing statement added.
This is the latest incident of mechanical issues faced by Boeing aircraft across a range of airlines over the past several months even as the company has faced years of scrutiny regarding the safety of its planes.
As per reports, a Boeing plane operated by Southwest Airlines and headed to Houston returned safely to Denver International Airport on Sunday after an engine cover fell off and struck the wing flap of the aircraft.
In 2021 and 2022, as a result of employees identifying and sharing conformance items on the 787, it said it slowed production and stopped delivering 787s for nearly two years to take "our time to get things right and ensure each met our exacting engineering specifications."
"We incorporated the join inspection and verification activity into our production system so that airplanes coming off of the production line meet these specifications. For the in-service fleet, comprehensive Boeing and FAA analysis determined there is no near-term safety of flight concern, and our engineers are completing exhaustive analysis to determine any long-term inspection and maintenance required, with oversight from the FAA."
"Based on the analysis and any future inspection, the 787 will maintain its strength, durability and service life," it added.