Is Boeing safe to fly? Up until recently, you probably never asked that question. But with all the bad news about Boeing — plane crashes, doors flying off, and criminal fraud — it’s an important question for you and the 3 million other passengers who fly every day in the US.
This series will reveal the critical steps necessary for Boeing to rebuild shattered trust. To understand the situation, we went back through 25 years of Boeing’s reports, government policies, and industry expert research.
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire
Before we dive in, a quick disclaimer. We are not saying you should not fly. We love flying because it’s fast and brings people together. Flying is also 100,000 times safer than driving — and that is a fact. As a consumer, though, you have a choice in what airplane you fly on.
With Boeing, something seems wrong. They have had two plane crashes, doors falling off mid-air, and they pled guilty to criminal fraud. Even Starliner, their new billion-dollar rocket built for NASA, malfunctioned on its first flight, leaving astronauts stranded in space for weeks. It seems like there are quality problems.
Return to Engineering Roots
What’s the first thing Boeing needs to do to earn back the public’s trust? Return to its engineering roots.
Boeing was founded in 1916 in Seattle and has a proud history of engineering achievements. They have set the standard for commercial aircraft since the 1930s, inventing the jet airliner, the 747 jumbo jet, and playing a large role in America’s Apollo missions. Engineers ran the show, making Boeing a symbol of American engineering excellence.
But things started to change 25 years ago. In 1997, Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas, a weaker competitor. This was supposed to be a power move, but instead, the culture began to shift. Boeing moved its headquarters to Chicago to be closer to customers and again in 2022 to Washington, D.C., to focus on defense and government contracts. These changes sent a clear message — Boeing moved away from the engineering-driven culture of Seattle towards a business-focused approach.
Also, Boeing’s CEOs became less focused on engineering. They used to be homegrown Boeing engineers who knew how to build complex aircraft. But recently, the CEOs were finance, accounting, and MBA types.
Conclusion
So to earn back trust, Boeing must return to its engineering roots. Moving their headquarters back to Seattle and having an engineer as the next CEO would show they prioritize engineering and product excellence.
However, this is merely the first step on a long road to redemption. In the following posts, we will unveil the other essential steps required to rebuild confidence in Boeing.
