Boeing is one of the two largest aviation manufacturers in the world (Airbus is the other). They are also a large part of our state (Washington state), given their commercial airplane division is headquartered here (despite the main HQ leaving almost three decades ago).
Before 1997, Boeing had a (largely) unshakeable reputation for building safe airplanes, as well as having passionate people run the company. Planes like the B-52, 747, 757, 767, and the 777 (which became one of the company’s best selling planes, as well as the Boeing Helicopter CH-47) are well-known, iconic aircraft; they are a part of what we know Boeing for.
And then the McDonnell-Douglas/Boeing merger happened.
For those who weren’t paying much attention, I suspect this is where the company started to go down hill. McDonnell-Douglas was a deeply troubled company They were losing money (despite having a successful military aircraft in the F/A-18), and builder of the AH-64 Apache), due to poor management, and the DC-10 (and its successor the MD-11).
Historically, when a failing company merges with a more stable company AND the failing company takes over management of the more stable company they’re merging with, you can expect trouble.
Such is the case with Boeing.
One of the most foolish moves, was cancelling the 757-series of aircraft (think: Trump Force One), and selling the land where the 757 was produced, to commercial developers (the Renton Landing). The 757 is still a ‘workhorse’ in most commercial airlines today, as well as a staunch cargo airplane. But as with all things, the supply chain will run out.
There were ALSO problems with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, that led to a 4-month grounding in January 2013 (this was due to Boeing going with using lithium-ion batteries for its auxilliary power unit, instead of an actual on-board turbine, to power the plane before and during flight). This was on top of the 2-3 year delayed production of the Dreamliner (which including building a controversial NEW 787 plant in South Carolina, on the site of the old Vought Aircraft plant).
But it gets worse.
Somehow, somewhere in a Boeing board room, last decade, someone decided that the 737-series planes (the smallest of Boeing’s planes), would be a suitable replacement for the 757, hence the 737-800/900 MAX. The Max would compete directly, with Airbus Industrie’s A320 NEO (new engine option).
Aside from getting in trouble with the FAA for their ‘self-certification’ of the 737-800 MAX (which had its first fatalities, causing a 1+ year grounding), there continues to be issues with this plane. In my opinion, it’s poorly designed. Boeing, should have either revived the 757, actually stayed with the 787-300 (similar in length), or went with a new plane. The engines are bigger, but the modifications made to 737 were barely adequate; one of the first fatalities, was because the so-called autopilot system malfunctioned…a system that has to compensate for the way the plane flies. the MAX flies less stable then its predecessor).
There’s also rumors that the people running Boeing, support DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion).
The latest indication of Boeing’s continuing problems, is the ‘suicide’ of a former Boeing whistleblower John Barnett, who was giving testimony on Boeing’s poor quality assurance. Boeing’s quality control problems seem to go back to around the
time the 787 was being produced (back in 2009). In the whistleblower lawsuit, he had detailed a high-pressure, rushed production environment, in which the emphasis was more on producing more planes (instead of acknowledging safety concerns regarding the production, and assembly of parts). Any complaints he had about the standards of production, were largely ignored. This happened at the South Caroline plant where the 787 was being produced (as opposed to Everett).
He was later found dead, with the cause of death being ruled a ‘suicide’, just a few days ago.
Typically, when you try to silence someone, you end up confirming what they’re saying.
Boeing is a troubled company, whose tainted image is in need of a turnaround. It can go a long way by acknowledging its mistakes, and actively doing something to reassure the flying public that its planes are safe, and put quality over profit. (cliche, I know, but it’s true)
Boeing is a perfect analogy for Washington and the US. Get woke, go broke. Of course the leadership is in the bag for DEI--they are a publicly traded company--and DEI matters more than competence, quality, or profit.
I just had a thought, could be completely off base, but here it is. I suspect the culture of Washington was much more moderate--maybe even somewhat conservative--when the largest employer (besides DOD) was a plane manufacturer instead of a software developer, a retail giant, or a coffee company.
When the primary products of Washington were material--apples & planes--the culture reflected reality. Now, with so many of the most wealthy earned their money in the digital world--they can continue the fiction into the real world.
The consequences are so much greater when it is agriculture and physical products instead of software. A plane falling from the sky cannot be saved with a software update.
bsn
Very informative, thanks!