We may be witnessing the slow demise of what was once the world’s greatest aerospace company, with few identifiable roadblocks to an act of self-immolation.
FAA recommends visual inspections of Boeing 737-900ER mid-cabin door plugs after some operators have found loose bolts during earlier voluntary inspections.
Investigators are examining an engine fire on an Atlas Air Boeing 747-8F that had to return to Miami International Airport shortly after takeoff on Jan. 18.
Two fatal 737-8 accidents, deficient quality on multiple programs, and recent 737-9 issues mean FAA would be justified in scrutinizing anything Boeing proposes.
The review led by retired U.S. Navy Admiral Kirk Donald will examine Boeing’s commercial airplane quality management as well as its supplier quality oversight.
“The FAA is exploring the use of an independent third party to oversee Boeing’s inspections and its quality system,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said.
“We’re not going to point fingers,” the Boeing CEO said. “Because, yes, it escaped their factory; but then it escaped ours too. So, we’re all in this together.”
XPeng AeroHT plans to start making its “Land Aircraft Carrier:” an electric, off-road SUV that carries a two-passenger personal eVTOL aircraft in its trunk.
Asia Pacific regulators are taking different approaches to the U.S. FAA’s recent order to ground the Boeing 737-9, although the effects are largely minimal.
Ampaire CEO Kevin Noertker says a half-size version of its flagship product—the AMP-H270—is poised to hike performance of smaller general aviation aircraft.
