Whistleblower alleges serious flaws in Boeing 787 planes
Richard Cuevas, a mechanic at Strom, a contractor for Spirit Aerosystems, has raised concerns about the manufacturing process of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner planes. He alleges that he observed improperly drilled holes in the forward pressure bulkheads of these planes at Spirit's Wichita facility in 2023. Cuevas warns that such practices could potentially lead to "devastating consequences," as the forward pressure bulkhead is crucial for maintaining the plane's structure while airborne.
Whistleblower details potential risks in Boeing planes
Cuevas alleges that the gaps he observed in the plane's forward pressure bulkheads appeared in two aircraft he helped build. He believes these gaps, caused by drilling holes slightly larger than Boeing's specifications to expedite a slow process and clear excess paint, could compromise power and air pressure on the planes. This could pose a serious safety risk for passengers. Cuevas estimates that these problems could affect 10 to 12 planes either in production or already delivered to Boeing.
Whistleblower alleges concealment of issues by Spirit
Cuevas reported his concerns to Boeing's ethics hotline, alleging that Spirit was concealing these issues from Boeing. He claims that Boeing initiated an investigation into his concerns in October 2023 and alerted Spirit management about the complaints. However, Cuevas was fired by Spirit in March, following a comment from a colleague indicating there was a "snitch among us," according to the complaints. This raises questions about the transparency of manufacturing processes at Spirit Aerosystems.
Boeing responds to whistleblower's safety concerns
Boeing has responded to Cuevas's allegations, stating that they had previously investigated his claims and found no safety issues. The company said in a statement, "A subcontractor's employee previously reported concerns to us that we thoroughly investigated as we take seriously any safety-related matter." Boeing is currently reviewing documents made public by Cuevas's attorneys and will investigate any new claims. Neither Spirit Aerosystems nor Strom have commented on the issue yet.
FAA encourages reporting of safety concerns
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) encourages anyone with safety concerns to report them, assuring that every report is thoroughly investigated. The FAA has seen a significant increase in Boeing whistleblower reports this year, receiving 126 compared to 11 last year. Cuevas's allegations are part of these reports, highlighting potential safety risks in the manufacturing process of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner planes.
