Latest news with #Salehpour
NDTV
03-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Ahead Of Air India Crash Report, A Recap Of The Dreamliner's Sketchy Past
Air India flight AI171, which crashed seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on June 12 killing all but one on board, was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Till that fateful day, not a single Dreamliner had been involved in a crash. The Dreamliner fleet has been airborne since 2011 and nearly every third widebody aircraft flying across the world today is a Boeing 787. The Ahmedabad crash is being seen as a rare occurrence, but what caused the crash? Theories abound, but only two broad themes matter - was it equipment failure, or was it human error? Aviation experts have already ruled out environmental factors such as a storm, lightning, etc, since it was a clear day. Terrorism as a cause has also not been established till now, though it will be conclusively ruled out only after the investigation into the crash has been completed. According to reports, the preliminary probe report of the crash is expected to be released next week. So as of now, the only two plausible possibilities are: either the aircraft systems malfunctioned, or there was a cockpit error. All Eyes On Boeing Boeing & Co, the manufacturer of the Dreamliners, has found itself in the spotlight after this crash. It has anyway been under intense global scrutiny for alleged malpractices in quality checks while making aircraft, including the 787s, for some time now. Last year, Sam Salehpour, a veteran quality engineer with Boeing for the 777s and also other aircraft, including the 787s (Dreamliners), who later turned into a whistleblower, gave a written testimony to the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs. In his testimony, Salehpour alleged that Boeing prioritises "speed of production over safety and quality and incentivizes management to overlook significant defects in Boeing's airplanes". He said, "Despite what Boeing officials state publicly, there is no safety culture at Boeing and employees like me who speak up about defects with its production activities and lack of quality control are ignored, marginalized, threatened, sidelined, and worse." Some of Salehpour's allegations are quite damning, particularly on the 787s. Boeing has denied all of these allegations. Salehpour went on to say that while working on the 787s in late 2020, he observed that Boeing had begun taking shortcuts to reduce bottlenecks in production and speed up the delivery of 787s, allowing defective parts and defective installations in the Dreamliner fleet. Specifically, he alleged that improper fastening of fuselage sections posed risks to the aircraft's longevity and could lead to a mid-flight breakup of the aircraft after many thousand trips. While the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken note of Salehpour's allegations and started an investigation into Boeing's practices, the regulator has not come out with its findings till now. Perhaps the crash at Ahmedabad will spur the FAA to hasten the probe. Not just Salhepour's allegations, Boeing has been in FAA crosshairs earlier too for the Dreamliner fleet. In 2013, two 787s operated by Japan Airlines caught fire, which was later attributed to overheating of the aircraft's lithium-ion batteries. At that time, the FAA had quickly grounded the whole of the Dreamliner fleet and had also banned fresh deliveries of these aircraft from Boeing. The manufacturer then fixed the problem by offering an improved battery insulation, among other solutions, before the Dreamliners were allowed to fly again. So, in the aftermath of the deadly Ahmedabad crash, the FAA needs to not just close the existing probe and release its report, but perhaps Boeing should also be subjected to enhanced scrutiny. What About Engine Maker? But in all the focus on Boeing and its alleged malpractices, are we missing the woods for the trees? If the AI 171 crash involved a twin-engine failure, as is being widely believed now, shouldn't the engine manufacturer - GE Aerospace in this case - also have the spotlight turned on to itself? The aircraft that crashed was at least 12 years old, and it is unlikely that Boeing had anything significant to do with it in this period of time - while GE and the Air India maintenance teams would have had to do regular checks. So, along with questioning Boeing, perhaps tough posers should also be made to the maintenance practices at Air India and the role of GE Aerospace. Of course, if the investigation report points to a design flaw with aircraft, any software glitch in electronics, or so on, then Boeing would be culpable - simply because an aircraft engine does not work in isolation, it works in coordination with the rest of hardware and software. DGCA's Hesitation Across the globe, more than 1,100 Dreamliner aircraft are currently in operation with different airlines. Air India has 33 in its fleet, but the largest number of Dreamliners is currently being operated by a couple of American carriers. Their predominance in American airlines' fleets is perhaps one of the reasons the FAA has refrained from grounding the Dreamliner fleet after the Air India crash. A Reuters report quotes US officials and FAA officials as saying that they had not seen any data that would require a grounding of all Dreamliners - as yet. But nothing explains the Indian safety regulator DGCA's reluctance to ground the Dreamliner fleet till investigators get some idea about what caused the crash. The AI 171 crash is being probed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with experts from several countries joining in. Whatever the findings of the AAIB investigation, one thing is clear: the families and loved ones of the crash victims need answers, and these can only come when culpability is clearly fixed - without undue delay. (Sindhu Bhattacharya is a senior journalist. She has been associated with leading media platforms and has written extensively on aviation policy and airlines.)
Irish Post
18-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
Ryanair's O'Leary raises worries over Boeing planes
ANOTHER week, another comment from Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary, who has voiced serious concerns about Boeing's manufacturing standards. For the first time revealing that his airline now conducts its own extensive inspections on every aircraft it receives from the U.S. plane-maker. The comments come in the wake of a deadly crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner run by Air India. The plane, which was carrying nearly 250 people, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12. While the cause of the crash is not yet known, there is no evidence that Boeing was at fault. O'Leary, whose airline exclusively operates Boeing planes, said Ryanair has taken extra steps in recent years to safeguard against problems. 'We had aircraft delivered that, when inspected in Dublin, had spanners and tools left under the floorboards,' he told The Times. 'It's unacceptable. What the factory in Seattle needs is engineers, not just salespeople.' To address these concerns, Ryanair now deploys a team of 30 engineers to monitor the assembly of its planes in the U.S. Once a plane arrives at the airline's headquarters in Dublin, it undergoes a detailed two-day inspection before it is approved for passenger use. 'Only when our engineers are completely satisfied does the aircraft enter operation,' O'Leary added. His remarks also coincide with renewed attention on claims made by Boeing whistleblower Sam Salehpour. A long-time engineer at the company, Salehpour alleged that shortcuts during the manufacturing of the 787 Dreamliner compromised the structural integrity of the fuselage. 'These are not minor issues,' Salehpour testified before a U.S. Senate panel last year. 'They could lead to structural failure after thousands of flight cycles.' Boeing maintains that thorough internal testing has revealed no immediate safety concerns. In response to the whistleblower's claims, the company stated, 'We are fully confident in the 787 Dreamliner. Assertions about its structural safety do not reflect the rigorous work we've done to ensure its long-term integrity.' The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently reviewing Salehpour's claims. Meanwhile, Boeing offered condolences to the victims of the Air India crash, with company executives pledging full cooperation with the investigation led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. First introduced in 2011, the 787 Dreamliner is one of Boeing's most popular long-haul planes. For O'Leary, ensuring safety means not taking any chances. 'Boeing makes great aircraft, but their quality control has slipped,' he said. 'That's why we've taken it upon ourselves to double-check everything. When it comes to safety, there's no room for error.' See More: Air India, Boeing, Michael O'Leary, Ryanair
New Indian Express
15-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Boeing's tryst with troubles
Whistleblowers' pitch Boeing stands apart in corporate history for a series of whistleblower allegations on safety compromises. Among them is engineer Sam Salehpour, who alleged critical structural flaws in the Dreamliner's fuselage. His testimony painted a picture of a broken safety culture where truth-tellers face systematic retaliation - ignored, marginalised, and even threatened into silence. Salehpour alleged that improper assembly and rushed manufacturing practices could pose a catastrophic risk over time, especially as these jets age. In a complaint filed with the FAA in January 2024, Salehpour claimed that Boeing took production shortcuts that could pose long-term safety risks as the aircraft age. He estimated that the issues affect more than 400 Boeing 777s and over 1,000 Dreamliners. One of his important claims is that tiny gaps between fuselage sections are improperly filled and this could eventually lead to fatigue cracks. 'These planes are being flown with a ticking time bomb,' Salehpour warned. The Air India crash also brings a renewed focus on John Barnett, a former quality manager and Boeing whistleblower who flagged safety lapses in the Dreamliner programme before his mysterious death last year. Joshua Dean, a Boeing whistleblower who warned of manufacturing defects in the planemaker's 737 Max, died after a short illness, the second Boeing whistleblower to die this year. A long timer at Boeing, Barnett raised red flags about what he described was a steady decline in safety protocols. According to him, employees were being pressured to overlook defects and meet production quotas. Barnett also claimed that about one in four oxygen masks might not work in an emergency. Richard Cuevas, a subcontractor mechanic who worked on Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, alleged last year that he was retaliated against after raising concerns about work he observed on the plane. He alleged 'substandard manufacturing and maintenance practices' on the 787's forward pressure bulkhead—a dome shaped piece located in the jet's nose that's critical to maintaining cabin pressure. Then there is Ed Pierson - the ex-high-level Boeing manager-turned-whistleblower, who testified before the US Congress in 2019 that he had flagged safety issues with the company's 737 Max variant. These cases highlight persistent concerns over Boeing's safety culture, with whistleblowers paying a heavy price for speaking out. As investigations continue, the aviation industry faces urgent questions about accountability and passenger safety.
NDTV
14-06-2025
- Business
- NDTV
"Dangerous Manufacturing...": Boeing Whistleblower To NDTV On Air India Crash
New Delhi: Ed Pierson - the ex-high-level Boeing manager-turned-whistleblower, who testified before the United States Congress in 2019 that he had flagged safety issues with the company's 737 Max variant - has told NDTV of "chaotic and dangerous manufacturing" at its production facilities. This comes amid scrutiny over the horrific crash of Air India's AI-171, a London-bound flight that lost thrust and slammed into a residential area in Gujarat's Ahmedabad 36 seconds after take-off. Flight AI-171 was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. It was the first crash involving a 787 since 2009, but it has turned the spotlight back on long-standing concerns about Dreamliner manufacturing standards and on John Barnett, a whistleblower who died under mysterious circumstances last year. It also brings the focus back on Sam Salehpour, another Boeing whistleblower who accused the company of putting profit over safety, and retaliating against his publicly raising red flags. "That's right... during testimony (to the US Congress in April last year) Mr Salehpour, who is the engineer with Boeing who reported problems, i.e., structural issues, and he provided pretty startling information about employees forcing parts to fit together (by jumping on them, according to some whistleblowers) when you aren't supposed to force them together..." "... and he expressed concern and apparently did everything he could, from inside the company, to raise these concerns and wasn't getting an adequate response," Mr Pierson told NDTV. "So he felt it was necessary to become a whistleblower." In April last year Mr Salehpour, who spent nearly two decades at Boeing, told US lawmakers he had been "put through hell" for raising concerns about the manufacturing processes. Among specifics flagged by Mr Salehpour were structural problems in the Dreamliner's fuselage; he claimed small gaps and improper assembly could cause possible structural failure. Boeing had strongly disputed the whistleblowers' claims, including those by Mr Salehpour, sand said the Dreamliner had been put through 150,000 safety tests and audits. It also denied retaliating against the whistleblowers after many, including Sam Salehpour, alleged retribution. The Federal Aviation Administration, the United States' top aviation authority, launched an investigation based on Mr Salehpour's claims. The FAA cleared in-operation 787 planes. On Wednesday, hours after the Air India plane crash, American officials continued to state there was no immediate safety data that required halting of Boeing 787 flights in the US. READ | US Aviation Body Says New Problem In Undelivered 787 Dreamliners Asked if the concerns flagged by Mr Salehpour could have been present, or indeed, contributed to the horrifying Air India crash, Mr Pierson told NDTV "it is possible..." "... concerns raised by Mr Salehpour could have been present in the Air India plane," he said, pointing out, "The problems he identified.. apparently the planes were being bult like that for a long time." On his own whistleblowing - regarding the 737 Max planes - Mr Pierson said there were multiple indicators of "chaotic and dangerous manufacturing" at the company. A grounded Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 at Los Angeles International Airport (File). "We were rushing to build planes... employees were under pressure to do overtime... there were parts issues, aircraft systems issues, functional system testing and electrical system testing, in particular..." The AI-171 plane crash is being investigated by Indian authorities; flight AI-171's black box has been recovered and the voice and systems data it contains is being analysed. The government has also set up a high-level committee to inquire into the accident and suggest guidelines to reinforce the safety of planes and passengers. Information available at this time only shows the plane lost thrust seconds after take-off. The Air India plane fell on a students' hostel near Ahmedabad airport. The pilots sent a distress radio message to Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control between 1.39 and 1.40 am, the government has said, but did not then respond to the ATC hailing the doomed plane. All but one of the 242 people on board were killed; the lone survivor was a British-Indian man sitting in seat 11A, and at least 31 deaths have been confirmed on the ground, taking the total dead to 274.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Air India plane crash: Publish Boeing report immediately, says whistleblower's lawyer to US Federal Aviation Administration
Representative image LONDON: Attorneys for Boeing whistleblower Sam Salehpour have written to the Federal Aviation Administration urging it to immediately release its findings on structural defects alleged by Salehpour regarding Boeing's 787 aircraft in light of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. Boeing quality engineer Salehpour had, in early 2024 alleged serious quality issues with Boeing's 787 and 777 aeroplanes, which, he had claimed, may compromise the safety and lifespan of the aircraft. The Air India aircraft that crashed soon after take-off in Ahmedabad on June 12 was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The letter from Salehpour's lawyers, Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, sent right after the news of the AI-171 crash broke, states that Salehpour had raised concerns about the "structural integrity of Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft and Boeing's manufacturing processes" as well as the "company's overall safety culture". As a result of his whistleblowing, the Federal Aviation Administration opened an investigation into Boeing in March 2024. In Dec 2024, the lead FAA investigator informed them the investigation was "complete" and had expressed "appreciation for Salehpour's identification of important safety issues". "He assured us the report would be issued imminently. We understood from his comments that many of Salehpour's concerns had been substantiated. We awaited the release of the report and yet, nearly six months later, it has not seen the light of day," the letter states. It points out that on Thursday, the world learned of "yet another tragic disaster involving the same 787 aircraft that Salehpour identified as flawed". "No one can truly understand the risks resulting from Boeing's manufacturing processes until FAA releases its investigative report. FAA must immediately publish the report without further delay," it concludes. Salehpour, a veteran engineer at Boeing with more than four decades of experience, has testified before the US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee regarding his allegations. His claims are that he observed shortcuts employed by Boeing to reduce bottlenecks during the 787 assembly process that placed excessive stress on major aeroplane joints and embedded drilling debris between key joints on more than 1,000 planes. When he reported these concerns internally, he alleges that he was threatened with termination and excluded from important meetings. "FAA must assure public that Boeing 787 is safe," Banks told TOI. "While it may take months or years to determine the cause of the Air India crash, we know that there is an important report sitting on a desk at FAA about the 787 that needs to become public. We urge the FAA to release its findings." Federal Aviation Administration did not respond to a request for comment.
