Jan. 5 mid-air scare leads to heightened scrutiny at Boeing (representative)
New York:
Boeing announced on Wednesday that the head of its 737 MAX program will leave the aerospace giant less than two months after a major safety incident temporarily grounded 171 of the planes.
Boeing Commercial Aviation (BCA) chief Stan Deal said in a memo released by the company that 18-year Boeing veteran Ed Clark will “exit the program.” Katie Ringgold has been named his successor.
On January 5, an air panel on the fuselage of a 737 MAX aircraft operated by Alaska Airlines exploded during flight, causing the aircraft to make an emergency landing and leaving a large hole in the cabin.
Although no serious injuries were caused, safety inspectors said the incident could have been catastrophic.
“As Ed leaves, we and I express our deepest gratitude for the many significant contributions he has made during his nearly 18 years of dedicated service to Boeing,” the memo said.
Clark took over the role in March 2021, shortly after the MAX program was put on hold for 20 months following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
In her new role, Ringgold’s responsibilities include managing the MAX assembly plant in the western U.S. state of Washington.
The Jan. 5 incident has led to increased scrutiny of Boeing by Federal Aviation Administration regulators and lawmakers on Capitol Hill, who plan to hold hearings on the matter.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said on February 6 that a preliminary investigation found that four bolts that helped secure the panel were missing, adding that the investigation was “ongoing.”
The FAA said a six-week safety audit of Boeing is underway. The agency also appointed a panel in January 2023 to conduct a “safety culture” review of Boeing, which is expected to be released in the coming weeks.
Boeing’s response to the latest difficulties included suspending operations at Renton and other plants to review safety and quality control procedures. It pledged to step up efforts to strengthen pre-delivery inspections of new aircraft.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun acknowledged responsibility for the incident and pledged transparency.
In addition to Ringgold’s appointment, Boeing has named Elizabeth Lund to the newly created position of senior vice president of quality, commercial unit.
The company also named Mike Fleming to succeed Lund as general manager of aircraft programs and Don Ruhmann to succeed Fleming as vice president of development programs.
“The change in leadership is necessary as we continue to push BCA to increase its focus on ensuring every aircraft we deliver meets or exceeds all quality and safety requirements,” Deere said in the memo.
“Our customers demand and deserve it.”
Michel Merluzeau, an aviation expert at consultancy AIR, said the newly appointed executives were well received but the company had experienced important departures during the pandemic.
“They lost a lot of people,” Meluzzo said. “The next level of leadership requires maturity.”
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