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Safety concerns dog Boeing 787!



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 12th 14, 08:22 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
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Posts: 1
Default Safety concerns dog Boeing 787!

Exclusive: Safety concerns dog Boeing 787

Al Jazeera Investigative Unit finds some workers with quality
concerns, alleging drug use and fearing to fly the plane.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvkEpstd9os



Al Jazeera has found that some Boeing workers have serious concerns
about the safety of the 787 "Dreamliner" aircraft.

In a new documentary, Broken Dreams: The Boeing 787, current and
retired Boeing employees discuss their worries about quality control
with Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit.

Boeing's 787 "Dreamliner", which made its first commercial flight in
late 2011, has been dogged with problems since plans for its launch
were announced in 2003.

Two battery failures in January 2013 sparked safety fears and led to
fleets being temporarily grounded worldwide for over three months.

Boeing says it does not compromise on product safety or quality.

Whistleblower

A worker at one of two Boeing 787 assembly lines in Charleston, in the
US state of South Carolina, contacted Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit
to share his worries about the "Dreamliner".

The worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, says "with all the
problems reported on the 787, there's 90 percent that's getting swept
away".

He describes the troubles with the plane as "an iceberg". He claims
only 10 percent of problems are visible to the flying public, with the
rest "hushed up".

"I've seen a lot of things that should not go on at an airplane
plant," the worker says. "It's been eating me alive to know what I
know, and have no avenue, no venue to say anything."

In a statement to Al Jazeera, Boeing says that "787 airplanes
delivered from both South Carolina and Washington final assembly and
delivery operations meet the highest safety and quality standards that
are verified through robust test, verification and inspection
processes".

Ten of 15 'wouldn't fly'

Using a concealed camera, the worker films inside the Boeing South
Carolina plant, recording his discussions with colleagues.

The number one focus that we have at Boeing is ensuring the continued
safe airworthiness of an airplane.

- Larry Loftis, Boeing Vice President and General Manager of the 787
"Dreamliner" Program

He randomly asks 15 of his co-workers who assemble the 787
"Dreamliner" if they would fly on the plane. Ten say they would not.

"I wouldn't fly on one of these planes," one worker tells him,
"because I see the quality of the fu**ing sh*t going down around
here".

Another worker replies, "it's sketchy". Asked what he means, the
worker adds, "yeah I probably would, but I kind of have a death wish
too".

A third says of the 787s assembled at South Carolina, "we're not
building them to fly. We're building them to sell. You know what I'm
saying?"

Larry Loftis, Boeing Vice President and General Manager of the 787
"Dreamliner" Program, told Al Jazeera, "The number one focus that we
have at Boeing is ensuring the continued safe airworthiness of an
airplane, the integrity of the airplane and the quality of the
airplane going out".

Drugs

The Boeing worker also says that he is concerned that some of his
colleagues are on drugs, saying he has seen "people talking about
doing drugs, looking for drugs", specifically marijuana, cocaine and
prescription painkillers.

In the footage, he records one man saying: "It's all coke and
painkillers" at the plant, adding, "you can get weed here, you can get
some really good weed here".

Another complains that Boeing "don't drug test nobody", adding that
"there's people that go out there on lunch and smoke one up".

In 2011, US federal agents raided a separate Boeing plant in
Philadelphia as part of a drugs investigation. They arrested dozens of
workers at the facility, which builds aircraft including the H-47
Chinook helicopter and the V-22 Osprey.

In a statement to Al Jazeera, Boeing says "drug testing of employees
is done in accordance with Boeing policy and procedures across all
facilities in accordance with applicable laws. Boeing thoroughly
investigates any employee reports of policy deviation, and appropriate
corrective action is taken if needed."

Memo

A memo obtained by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit also shows that in
2010, Boeing altered its quality standards at a time when the 787 was
already two years delayed.

The source of the memo, a veteran Boeing engineer, says it reveals
that the company "changed basic engineering principles to meet
schedule".

On seeing the document, another long-time Boeing engineer says
"they're short-changing the engineering process to meet a schedule... I
find that reprehensible".

Cynthia Cole, former president of Boeing's engineers union SPEEA, adds
that she would no longer fly on a Boeing 787. "I've been kind of
avoiding flying on a 787 and seeing this, I would definitely avoid
flying on a 787."

Boeing says its memo is fully consistent with the company's robust
quality assurance system. "While we will not discuss in detail our
proprietary production processes, we note that the document itself
concludes by saying that the process changes 'do not signify
authorisation to ship or accept parts which do not meet engineering
and quality requirements.' "

The company also says that it uses one, FAA-approved quality system
for the 787 in both of its assembly plants.

Follow Will Jordan on Twitter: @Willjordan

Broken Dreams: The Boeing 787 is available from Wednesday, September
10 ataljazeera.com/Boeing787.

The documentary airs on Al Jazeera English at the following times:
Wednesday, September 10 at 2000 GMT; Thursday, September 11 at 0100
GMT and 1200 GMT; Friday, September 12 at 0600 GMT; Saturday,
September 13 at 2000 GMT; and Sunday, September 14 at 0100 GMT.

The film airs on Al Jazeera Arabic at the following times: Wednesday,
September 10 at 2205 KSA; Thursday, September 11 at 0305 KSA; Friday,
September 12 at 1405 KSA; Saturday, September 13 at 1005 KSA; and
Sunday, September 14 at 1705 KSA.
  #2  
Old October 16th 14, 01:58 AM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 183
Default Safety concerns dog Boeing 787!

On Sunday, October 12, 2014 2:22:15 PM UTC-5, wrote:
Exclusive: Safety concerns dog Boeing 787



Al Jazeera Investigative Unit finds some workers with quality

concerns, alleging drug use and fearing to fly the plane.


If its Boeing, I Ain't Going...
 




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