House Democrats seek Boeing, FAA records after electrical problem that grounded 737 Max - Washington Post

farihaue.blogspot.com

Democrats on the House Transportation Committee are launching a fresh review of Boeing’s 737 Max, seeking records from the company and the Federal Aviation Administration about a manufacturing issue that recently led to dozens of the jets being grounded.

The new push comes after the lawmakers issued a scathing report last year into a pair of crashes involving the Max that killed 346 people, left the plane grounded for almost two years and shook the reputations of both Boeing and the FAA.

The committee said in a statement that it was posing questions to both Boeing and the FAA while seeking the records after production problems, including debris left in newly manufactured jets and quality-control issues affecting the Max and 787 Dreamliner. The committee declined to specify what material it was asking for.

“As I’ve stated many times, our oversight work never ends — and in light of these new and ongoing issues that point to problems in maintaining quality control and appropriate FAA oversight of production issues, I will thoroughly and deliberatively investigate any issues, such as those affecting the 737 MAX and the 787, that may endanger public safety,” committee chairman Rep. Peter A. DeFazio (D-Ore.) said in a statement.

A Boeing spokesman said the company had received the request and was reviewing it. The FAA did not respond to a request for comment.

Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), chairman of the committee’s aviation panel, said, “Congress has an obligation to the 346 victims of the two Boeing 737 Max crashes and their families, as well as the traveling public, to ensure U.S. aviation remains the global gold standard in safety.”

The FAA approved a fix for the new electrical issue on the Max last week, clearing the planes to return to the sky. The FAA said the problem stemmed from a manufacturing change and could lead to “multiple simultaneous” safety hazards in the cockpit and prevent planes from flying or landing safely.

Boeing disclosed the problem in April, months after the Max had been approved to fly again after the crashes in 2018 and 2019. The FAA has said it is investigating the origin of the manufacturing change and auditing Boeing’s process for making minor design changes to its jets.

After the Transportation Committee’s previous investigation into the crashes, Congress passed a law designed to tighten the FAA’s oversight of Boeing. But during a congressional hearing last week, Rep. David E. Price (D-N.C.) told FAA Administrator Steve Dickson the new problem was fueling ongoing doubts about the agency’s scrutiny of the company.

Dickson said in response that the Max “is performing as well or better overall than any other airplane out there in the aviation system right now.”

In March, on the two-year anniversary of the second Max crash in Ethiopia, families of the victims met with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, urging him to replace Dickson. They said they were frustrated with the pace of change at the FAA.

Adblock test (Why?)

"Max" - Google News
May 19, 2021 at 03:04AM
https://ift.tt/3v1Kkjd

House Democrats seek Boeing, FAA records after electrical problem that grounded 737 Max - Washington Post
"Max" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YlVjXi


Bagikan Berita Ini