US Senate committee faults FAA oversight of Boeing

A US Senate report released on Monday said the FAA must do a better job overseeing Boeing Co (BA.N) and the certification of new airplanes, as well as review allegations raised by seven industry whistleblowers. The 97-page Commerce Committee report from Senator Maria Cantwell includes concerns raised in the wake of two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes in a five-month period that prompted the plane's 20-month grounding. Congress also passed sweeping reforms in December 2020 to how the FAA certifies new airplanes that the agency is still implementing. "FAA’s oversight of the certification process has eroded," the report found, saying the agency "over time, increasingly delegated away its authority" to Boeing and others. The FAA, the report said, "should take immediate action to address undue pressure at the Boeing" safety oversight office, adding that it is "chronically understaffed." Boeing said it is reviewing the report. "Boeing teammates are encouraged to speak up whenever they have safety or quality concerns," the planemaker said, adding that many issues in the report "have been previously publicized, and Boeing has worked to address them with oversight" by the FAA.<br/>