Senator Duckworth Urges FAA Action on Boeing’s Non-Disclosure of 737 MAX Flight Deck Features
Senator Tammy Duckworth is advocating for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to scrutinize Boeing’s practices, particularly its failure to fully inform pilots about certain flight deck features of the 737 MAX aircraft. This call to action follows an incident involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9, where a door panel was unexpectedly blown off mid-flight due to rapid depressurization, revealing that pilots were unaware of the cockpit door’s automatic opening design in such scenarios.
The letter from Duckworth, the chair of the Senate’s Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation Subcommittee, highlights the significance of transparency in aviation safety, marking Boeing’s history of withholding critical information from pilots as a concerning pattern. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair, Jennifer Homendy, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of flight crew awareness regarding aircraft features for safety.
In response to the incident, Boeing has since updated the Flight Crew Operating Manual to include information on the cockpit door’s design function during rapid depressurization events. However, Duckworth and industry professionals argue that this after-the-fact disclosure underscores a broader issue of transparency within Boeing, citing previous instances where vital flight deck features were not communicated to pilots, including the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) and the Angle of Attack (AOA) disagree alert.
The lack of disclosure and subsequent regulatory oversight raises questions about the safety culture within Boeing and the aviation industry at large. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, criticized the prioritization of profits over safety, urging a reevaluation of company practices to uphold the integrity of American aviation.
Duckworth’s letter suggests that the FAA consider if adjustments are necessary for the 737 cockpit design in light of these revelations and whether Boeing should face regulatory actions for its pattern of nondisclosure. The senator underscores the critical need for flight crews to have comprehensive knowledge of all aircraft features, suggesting that FAA’s current oversight may not sufficiently deter or correct such behavior from Boeing.
In the backdrop of these developments, Duckworth has also challenged the FAA over Boeing’s request for a safety waiver concerning the 737 Max 7 and Max 10 models, further spotlighting the ongoing issues with the company’s transparency and commitment to safety. Boeing’s decision to withdraw the waiver request and delay certification of the aircraft models until solutions are developed has had ripple effects, affecting airline operations and pilot employment at major carriers like Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.
As the dialogue between regulatory bodies, Boeing, and the aviation community continues, the focus remains on ensuring the highest standards of safety and transparency to prevent future mishaps and restore confidence in the industry.
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, yahoo.com