In a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Thursday, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Mike Whitaker, admitted the agency's oversight of Boeing had been "too hands off" in the lead-up to a mid-air emergency on a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in January. This is the first time the FAA has publicly acknowledged shortcomings in its oversight role.
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The Alaska Airlines incident involved a door panel blowing out during a flight, raising concerns about potential safety issues with the 737 MAX 9. Whitaker emphasized the importance of increased scrutiny, stating, "The FAA should have had much better visibility into what was happening at Boeing before January 5th." The FAA is taking steps to address these concerns. Whitaker announced a permanent increase in the use of on-site inspectors at Boeing facilities. He even mentioned a planned visit to a Boeing factory in South Carolina on Friday. This shift signifies a move away from the agency's prior reliance on paperwork audits, which Whitaker characterized as "too hands-off."
The FAA is also taking a more aggressive enforcement stance. Whitaker pledged to "utilize the full extent of our enforcement authority" to ensure Boeing's compliance with safety regulations. Multiple investigations into the company are already underway, with additional inquiries prompted by whistleblower reports. In February, the FAA had already taken action by barring Boeing from increasing production of the 737 MAX.
This acknowledgment of lax oversight comes at a time when Boeing is under intense scrutiny following two deadly crashes of the 737 MAX model in 2018 and 2019. The crashes, which together claimed hundreds of lives, raised questions about potential flaws in the design and certification process of the aircraft. The FAA's new approach to oversight indicates a commitment to stricter scrutiny of Boeing's manufacturing and safety practices. Whether these changes can fully restore public confidence in the aviation industry remains to be seen.