ARLINGTON- Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun faced a hostile audience in the Hart Senate Office building on Tuesday. Seated behind him were critics from various perspectives: family members of Boeing 737 Max victims holding photos of their loved ones, and demonstrators wearing keffiyehs with red paint on their hands.
Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun submitted the following written testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs’ Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
Boeing CEO Speaks
Chairman Blumenthal, Ranking Member Johnson, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to appear today alongside Boeing Chief Engineer, Howard McKenzie.
Before I begin my remarks, I want to directly address those who lost loved ones on Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. On behalf of everyone at Boeing, I am deeply sorry for your losses. The safety of our passengers is our utmost priority. We honor the memory of those lost through our unwavering commitment to safety and quality.
Every second, a Boeing aircraft takes off or lands somewhere in the world, making us responsible for the safety of millions of passengers and flight crews daily, including our military personnel.
Aerospace safety is underpinned by a robust industrywide system that emphasizes self-disclosure, accountability, and continuous improvement. This rigorous scrutiny is fundamental to making commercial aviation the safest mode of transportation today.
I have dedicated my career to this industry, fully aware that we must get it right every time.
I have been serving as President and CEO of Boeing since January 2020.
I entered the aviation industry as President and CEO of GE Aircraft Engines. My introduction to aerospace safety came after the tragic 1989 accident of United Airlines Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa, due to an uncontained engine failure. This incident led to significant changes in the industry’s safety management processes and greatly improved flight safety. This experience highlighted the importance of Boeing’s role in maintaining aerospace safety standards.
We deeply regret the impact of the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 accident on the Alaska Airlines team and its passengers, and we commend the pilots and crew for safely landing the plane. We are thankful there were no fatalities.
From the start, we took responsibility and cooperated transparently with the NTSB and the FAA in their investigations. We took immediate action in our factories and supply chain to prevent a recurrence of the accident’s specific circumstances. Additionally, we conducted a comprehensive review of our quality and manufacturing systems.
To facilitate this thorough review, we held stand-downs in our plants, listened to our employees, and acted on their suggestions. We brought in an independent quality expert to evaluate our processes and announced our intention to re-acquire Spirit AeroSystems, the manufacturer of our fuselage.
Based on these inputs, Boeing developed a comprehensive safety and quality action plan with specific metrics to ensure accountability. The FAA will use these metrics for oversight.
Our greatest strength lies in our people—over 170,000 employees worldwide. We have encouraged every employee to view themselves as an advocate for aviation safety.
We are dedicated to ensuring every employee feels empowered to report issues without fear of retaliation. Strict policies are in place to prevent any form of retaliation against employees who come forward. It is our responsibility to listen to feedback, regardless of its source, and address it seriously.
Boeing’s culture has been a topic of discussion, and we have heard and acknowledged these concerns. While our culture is not flawless, we are taking decisive steps forward, focusing on transparency, accountability, and enhancing employee engagement.
Our aircraft have transported more than double the world’s population. Accuracy in our operations is crucial for our company, the customers who rely on our aircraft daily, and our nation.
We are part of a global ecosystem that includes manufacturers, suppliers, airlines, airports, air traffic controllers, and regulators, all committed to learning from every incident. This relentless commitment to improvement has contributed to our industry’s exceptional safety record.
With this mindset, we are implementing comprehensive measures today to strengthen safety and quality. As America’s leading aerospace manufacturer, we understand and embrace the expectations of you and the traveling public.
Thank you. Howard and I are prepared to address your inquiries.
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