An individual walks past an unpainted Boeing 737-8 MAX parked at Renton Municipal Airport adjoining to Boeing’s factory in Renton, Washington on January 25, 2024.Â
Jason Redmond | AFP | Getty Images
Boeing is replacing the pinnacle of its 737 Max program lower than two months after a panel blew out on one in all the jet models during an Alaska Airlines flight, prompting a temporary federal grounding of the aircraft type and heightened scrutiny of the plane maker’s operations.
The corporate’s 737 program head, Ed Clark, is leaving the corporate, Stan Deal, CEO of Boeing’s industrial airplane unit, said in memo to employees. Katie Ringgold will develop into president and general manager of this system and the corporate’s Renton, Washington, site, Deal said.
“I’m announcing several leadership changes as we proceed driving BCA’s enhanced deal with ensuring that each airplane we deliver meets or exceeds all quality and safety requirements. Our customers demand, and deserve, nothing less,” Deal said.
Boeing named Elizabeth Lund to a newly created position of senior vp of quality for the industrial airplane unit, Deal said within the note. Lund will proceed to report back to him, it added. The leadership changes are effective immediately.
“Ed departs with my, and our, deepest gratitude for his many significant contributions over nearly 18 years of dedicated service to Boeing,” Deal said.
The Jan. 5 accident aboard the Alaska Airlines flight is the newest crisis for Boeing that has been trying to seek out its footing after fatal crashes of its Boeing 737 Max 8 in 2018 and 2019 that killed all 346 people on board the flights.
It’s also the newest and most serious in a string of quality flaws on Boeing planes which have delayed deliveries to customers. A month after the Alaska Airlines flight, Boeing said misdrilled holes on some Max planes would delay handovers of the aircraft to airlines.
CEOs including those of Alaska and United have publicly expressed frustration with Boeing as they await recent planes to capitalize on a boom in post-pandemic travel.
The door plug that blew out of the virtually brand-new 737 Max 9 used for Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 has already brought increased scrutiny and restrictions from federal regulators.
The bolts on that panel, which plugs an unused emergency exit, appeared to not be reinstalled before it was handed over to Alaska Airlines last 12 months, a preliminary investigation from the National Transportation Safety Board found.
The Federal Aviation Administration has said it’s stepped up direct inspections of Boeing’s Max production lines and said it will prohibit the manufacturer from increasing output until the agency is satisfied with its quality control.
As Boeing struggles to repair flaws along its production line, rival Airbus has ramped up each production and deliveries of recent planes.
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