Boeing 737 MAX program leader quits over Alaska Airlines disaster
Ed Clark, head of Boeing's 737 MAX program, is stepping down after an incident where a piece of a jet blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. This led to an emergency landing, but thankfully, no serious injuries occurred. Clark's departure is part of a larger shake-up in Boeing's commercial airplane division, focusing on enhancing quality and safety. Stan Deal, the leader of this division, expressed his "deepest gratitude" to Clark for his nearly 18 years of service.
A look at Clark's history
Clark served as Vice President and General Manager of the 737 program. It oversaw the Renton, Washington factory that produced the plane that was involved in the Alaska Airlines blowout. Following the incident, safety campaigners started calling for new leadership at the Airbus rival.
Incident details and production issues
The Alaska Airlines incident raised concerns about the manufacturing process of the 737 MAX planes. An initial investigation discovered the bolts meant to secure the door panel were missing, after being removed inside Boeing's factory in Renton, Washington. Consequently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has prohibited Boeing from increasing its 737 MAX production while they review the company's production line.
The 737 MAX program has a problematic history
The 737 MAX program is no stranger to hardships. To recall, the Alaska Airlines flight incident forced 171 MAX 9 jets to be grounded for several weeks. Before that, the company's MAX 8 planes were involved in crashes in 2018 and 2019. In the latter, 346 people lost their lives.
New leadership and organizational changes
Katie Ringgold, currently the Vice President of 737 delivery operations, will replace Ed Clark. Additionally, Boeing has announced the creation of a Senior Vice President for Quality position. In a message to employees, Deal emphasized the importance of "ensuring that every airplane we deliver meets or exceeds all quality and safety requirements. Our customers demand, and deserve, nothing less."
