This week saw the Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun visit Spirit AeroSystems as the fight to improve quality on it’s 737 MAX aircraft continues in the aftermath of AS1282.
It is understood that Mr. Calhoun attended a employee town hall meeting in Wichita, Kansas, where he spoke alongside the other CEO Pat Shanahan and the board chair Bob Johnson.
Without further ado, let’s get into it…
Boeing CEO Visits Spirit AeroSystems In Fight for Quality Changes…
At the town hall in Wichita, Kansas, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said the following on quality changes:
“We’re going to get better, not because the two of us are talking, but because the engineers at Boeing, the mechanics at Boeing, the inspectors at Boeing, the engineers at Spirit, the mechanics at Spirit, the inspectors at Spirit — they’re going to speak the same language on this in every way, shape or form.”
“We’re going to learn from it, and then we’re going to apply it to literally everything else we do together.”
As per an article released by Reuters on January 7, it has emerged that Spirit AeroSystems manufactured and installed a portion of the door part of the fuselage to the Boeing 737 MAX 9 which blew.
It is understood that the part is sent to the American planemaker semi-installed, and then Boeing configures the part and gets it ready for commercial operation, and goes as far as testing it to 150% pressurisation.
The investigation, which will be carried out by the NTSB, will no doubt see where the part became faulty in the production process, but this incident is still not good news for Boeing at this stage.
Within this, there is significance to Spirit AeroSystems’ involvement in these chain of events as well, as we will explore now.
Both Sides Signed A Deal on Quality & Deliveries Back in October…
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Back in October 2023, Boeing & Spirit AeroSystems signed a deal to improve quality and deliveries of aircraft parts being used.
Such an agreement comes off the back of quality concerns by the supplier, which have been affecting the 737 MAX aircraft.
“Boeing and Spirit will continue to work shoulder to shoulder to mitigate today’s operational challenges,” said Spirit AeroSystems at the time.
The company’s President & CEO Patrick M. Shanahan added to this saying:
“Our collective teams will focus on further generating supply chain performance and resiliency.”
“This united effort to synchronize our production systems will enable greater market responsiveness and delivery assurance.”
As first reported by The Air Current, Boeing & Spirit AeroSystems have been experiencing some challenges, particularly on the aft bulkhead section of the 737 MAX.
It is understood that the issue at the time was down to hundreds of mis drilled fasteners installed with a laser.
Boeing said the following on this at the time to Jon Ostrower:
“We continue to take the time necessary to ensure each airplane meets our standards and regulatory requirements prior to ticketing and delivery”.
All eyes will be on what happens next.
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