US FAA will maintain enhanced oversight of Boeing after door panel incident

The Federal Aviation Administration's tougher oversight of Boeing will continue indefinitely, the agency's outgoing head said on Friday, nearly a year after a door panel missing four key bolts flew off a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in mid-air. bThe Jan. 5, 2024 incident prompted FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker to cap production at 38 737 MAX planes per month and temporarily ground 170 airplanes. The incident exposed serious safety issues at the U.S. planemaker and contributed to the departure of its then-CEO Dave Calhoun. "We have conducted an unprecedented number of unannounced audits; and we conduct monthly status reviews with Boeing executives to monitor progress. Our enhanced oversight is here to stay," Whitaker said in a statement ahead of the anniversary of the incident. Whitaker in February ordered Boeing to implement a safety and quality improvement plan and previously acknowledged prior oversight "was too hands off." "This is not a one-year project. What's needed is a fundamental cultural shift at Boeing that's oriented around safety and quality above profits," Whitaker said Friday. "That will require sustained effort and commitment from Boeing, and unwavering scrutiny on our part."<br/>