A report says the FAA continues to retaliate against whistleblowers (Ted S Warren/AP)
“We are confident that the safety issues that played a role in the tragic accidents involving Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 have been addressed through the design changes required and independently approved by the FAA and its partners,” the agency said.
Boeing did not comment on specific allegations.
“We take seriously the Committee’s findings and will continue to review the report in full,” the Chicago-based company said.
All Max planes were grounded worldwide after crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people. Following a lengthy review of Boeing changes, the FAA last month approved the plane to fly again if airlines update a key flight-control system and make other changes.
FAA shirked safety protocols, retaliates against whistleblowers, report says
By (0)
Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 (ET-AVM), the same aircraft that crashed in Ethiopia in March 2019, is seen at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, when it was first delivered to Ethiopia in July 2018. File Photo by Stringer/EPA
Dec. 19 (UPI) The Federal Aviation Administration repeatedly allowed Southwest Airlines to continue operating dozens of aircraft in an unknown airworthiness condition, allowed Boeing to coach test pilots in ways counter to safety protocols and continues to retaliate against whistleblowers, according to a federal report released this week.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., called his committee s new findings in Federal Aviation Administration probe after two fatal Boeing 737 Max crashes in April 2019, troubling.
Boeing officials told pilots in advance which controls to use during an exercise to quicken their response time, a whistleblower told the Senate committee Photograph: Ted S Warren/AP
Boeing officials “inappropriately coached” test pilots during recertification efforts after two fatal 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people, a US congressional report has concluded.
The report by the Senate commerce committee raised questions about testing in 2020 of a key safety system known as MCAS tied to both fatal crashes.
The committee concluded Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing officials “had established a pre-determined outcome to reaffirm a long-held human factor assumption related to pilot reaction time”.
Updated / Saturday, 19 Dec 2020
13:49
The report raised questions about testing of a key safety system known as MCAS tied to both fatal crashes
Boeing officials inappropriately coached test pilots during re-certification efforts after two fatal 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people, a lengthy congressional report has found.
The report from the Senate Commerce Committee Republican staff raised questions about testing this year of a key safety system known as MCAS tied to both fatal crashes was contrary to proper protocol.
The committee concluded Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing officials had established a pre-determined outcome to reaffirm a long-held human factor assumption related to pilot reaction time.
LINDSEY WASSON/Reuters
Boeing officials inappropriately influenced government test pilots as they were testing the company s 737 Max plane before recertifying it for flight, Senate investigators said in a report Friday.
The investigators said the FAA failed to provide proper oversight of Boeing and Southwest Airlines, potentially putting passengers at risk as a result.
In a statement, the FAA expressed confidence that the issues which led to the two fatal crashes have been resolved.
Boeing officials inappropriately coached government pilots during a simulator test to ensure that the company s 737 Max plane was safe to fly again, after two deadly crashes involving the model killed 346 people, Senate investigators said in a report Friday.