A Boeing whistleblower, Sam Salehpour, has issued a dire warning about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, suggesting that the aircraft could suffer catastrophic failures due to what he describes as severe manufacturing and assembly flaws.
Sam Salehpour is set to discuss these critical safety concerns in a Senate hearing today, raising alarms about the potential for structural failure in Boeing's 787 jets, Daily Mail reported.
During a detailed interview aired on NBC Nightly News with Tom Costello, Salehpour described what he perceives as significant risks stemming from the way Boeing 787 jets have been assembled.
According to him, shortcuts in the manufacturing process could lead to fatigue failure in the aircraft's fuselage.
These allegations come after Salehpour filed a formal complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) outlining his concerns and observations. This complaint has sparked a substantial investigation into Boeing's safety practices.
Boeing has responded to these allegations through its chief engineer, Steve Chisholm, who stated that extensive maintenance checks on nearly 700 in-service 787 jets have revealed no fatigue cracks.
Despite these assurances, the integrity of Boeing’s internal reviews has been questioned.
An incident involving an Alaska Airlines 787 jet in January, where a door plug blew out during flight, though resulting in no injuries thanks to the pilots' skillful handling, has added to ongoing safety concerns. This incident further complicates the public's perception of Boeing's safety standards.
After raising his concerns, Salehpour reported experiencing retaliation, including threats and exclusion from meetings, highlighting a potentially troubling company culture around safety transparency at Boeing.
The FAA has been investigating these claims since February, while Boeing paused deliveries of the 787 from late 2020 to August 2022 to address the quality concerns. In 2021, Boeing admitted to issues with improperly sized shims and deviations in skin-flatness specifications across some aircraft.
The whistleblower has urged a comprehensive inspection of all 787 jets globally, focusing on gaps that could lead to premature structural failure. This call for widespread inspections underscores the seriousness of the potential risks involved.
Boeing's assembly practices, including accusations of excessive force and improper alignment techniques, have drawn significant criticism, particularly with claims that some workers may have resorted to unconventional methods to fit parts together.
In conclusion, today's Senate hearing with Sam Salehpour's testimony is poised to be a pivotal moment for Boeing. It represents a significant challenge to the company's reputation and a critical juncture for industry-wide reflections on aviation safety standards and corporate accountability.
