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1 [1] (December 5, 2024)

handle is hein.crs/governs0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Con i-a Won I Fesedrch Service h ornino I Ieoi I live ta ~ 'e 914 December 5, 2024 Federal Aviation Administration Oversight of Boeing Commercial air travel is one of the safest forms of transportation, and fatal crashes are extremely rare. Between 2013 and 2022, U.S. air carriers flew more than 175 million cumulative flight hours and experienced six fatal crashes resulting in 15 total fatalities. The International Air Transport Association found that global airline safety performance improved by 61% over the past decade. Although design flaws and manufacturing defects have seldom played a significant role in commercial aviation crashes, two fatal mishaps and additional serious incidents involving Boeing airplanes have brought its design and manufacturing processes under global scrutiny. As the sole producer of large transport airplanes in the United States, Boeing is a major focus of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight. In the wake of these events, FAA has increased oversight and inspections of Boeing aircraft development and manufacturing, and Congress has scrutinized both Boeing and FAA. Some ongoing challenges to effective FAA oversight of Boeing include production pressures spurred by continued global demand; the complexity of a distributed and diverse supply network; challenges at FAA to recruit, retain, and train its inspector workforce; and heavy reliance on delegated aircraft design and production certification functions. Boeing Commercal Arpanes Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) is a business unit of the Boeing Company, a global aerospace conglomerate. BCA employs about 48,000 workers, primarily at facilities in Washington State and South Carolina. Boeing produces a number of commercial airliners, including the narrow-body 737 and three wide-bodies: the 767, 777, and 787 Dreamliner. In 2023, it ended production of the iconic 747 jumbo jet. More than 10,000 Boeing jetliners are in service around the world, and more than 5,400 of its airplanes are currently on order. In 2023, Boeing delivered 528 airplanes, a 10% increase over 2022. However, production caps imposed by FAA in early 2024 amid concerns over quality assurance along with a 2-month machinist strike have slowed deliveries by about 20%, compared with 2023. Long-standing Safety Concerns For over a decade, FAA has been raising concerns about Boeing aircraft. In 2015, Boeing entered into a settlement agreement with FAA following multiple failures to take corrective actions regarding observed deficiencies in quality assurance. As part of the agreement, Boeing committed to implementing a Safety Management System (SMS), adopting a regulatory compliance plan, and stepping up audits and verification processes to oversee suppliers and component parts. Despite these actions, concerns over the quality and safety of Boeing airplanes and the adequacy of FAA oversight of Boeing design and manufacturing practices have persisted. These concerns have primarily focused on Boeing's two most modem commercial airplanes: the Boeing 737 Max and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Trouble with the Max The 737 is considered Boeing's narrow-body stalwart. Boeing has delivered almost twelve thousand 737s since the model's initial introduction in 1967. The most recent iteration, the Boeing 737 Max, made its debut in 2016, offering more quiet, fuel-efficient engines and other performance improvements. However, two catastrophic passenger airline crashes overseas-Lion Air Flight 610 on October 29, 2018, and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, 2019-led to a 20-month worldwide grounding of all 737 Max airplanes and halted deliveries until November 2020. Broader concerns over the certification of the 737 Max prompted intense scrutiny of FAA's delegation of certification responsibilities to Boeing, culminating in legislation requiring sweeping reforms to the aircraft certification process and FAA's oversight of aircraft manufacturers and their certification units. The 2020 Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act (Division V of P.L. 116-260) required FAA to reform policies and practices related to aircraft certification and mandated industry-wide implementation of FAA-approved SMS programs. On January 5, 2024, a Boeing 737 Max airplane operated by Alaska Airlines experienced an in-flight separation of a door plug, a covering for an emergency exit opening that is installed when a door is not required. Following the mishap, which caused some injuries and no fatalities, FAA launched an investigation of Boeing manufacturing processes and ordered a comprehensive audit of the 737 Max production lines and supply chain to evaluate compliance with FAA- mandated quality procedures. A February 2024 incident, where the rudder controls of a United Airlines Boeing 737 Max became stuck during landing at Newark Liberty Airport, prompted a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation. NTSB found that incorrectly assembled rudder actuator bearings in an automated control unit are susceptible to freezing, possibly limiting rudder movement in cold weather. A similar incident involving an Aeromexico 737 Max in March 2023 prompted Boeing to issue a notice to operators. In September 2024, NTSB urged FAA and Boeing to take immediate corrective action. In October 2024, FAA issued a safety alert advising operators of affected aircraft to carry out rudder system checks before landing and to follow stuck-rudder procedures if a jam is suspected. Boeing had previously experienced rudder system issues with its 737 jets. In the 1990s, design flaws in 737 rudder control systems resulted in two fatal crashes in the United States. NTSB concluded that under certain conditions,