Defects in the 787 “Dreamliner”?
German whistleblower accuses Boeing
May 11, 2024, 4:16 p.m
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According to an expert, there is “a structural problem” in Boeing’s safety culture. A German-born engineer is now turning to the public with insights into an allegedly defective “Dreamliner” production. He doesn’t feel valued by his employer.
A German-born Boeing engineer complains about safety deficiencies in the US aircraft manufacturer’s machines. As “Spiegel” reports, engineer Martin Bickeböller accuses his employer of not having corrected deficiencies in the production of the 787 “Dreamliner” for years. The step to go public through his lawyer comes after Bickeböller is said to have made complaints internally and to the US regulatory authority FAA for many years.
“Boeing is pursuing a clear strategy to keep my client quiet,” Bickeböller’s lawyer Elmar Giemulla told “Spiegel.” He complains that his client was harassed. The Berlin air traffic law professor says Boeing has “a structural problem” with its safety culture. Among other things, tens of thousands of parts are said to have been installed in the front section of the Boeing 787 without proof that they correspond to the properties in the approval. The FAA had confirmed Bickeböller’s findings several times, and Boeing promised to eliminate them. But, according to Bickeböller in a note to the FAA in January 2024, this did not happen.
According to the report, aviation experts consider the allegations to be significant. “For an aircraft to be considered airworthy, there must be full proof that it corresponds to the description in the type certificate,” Gerhard Hüttig, long-time professor of aeronautical engineering at the Technical University of Berlin, told the magazine.
Boeing denies allegations
Through his lawyer, Bickeböller also describes in “Spiegel” how his employer destroyed his career. Among other things, in 2020 he was prohibited from writing a master’s thesis that had originally been approved. He had previously sent the then new Boeing boss Dave Calhoun an email with the allegations. There was no reaction from Calhoun, who was now retreating.
When asked by the magazine, the aircraft manufacturer rejected the allegations: “Boeing is treating all allegations with the utmost seriousness and rigor,” said a spokesman. “However, many of Mr. Bickeböller’s allegations come from the past, they were carefully investigated and addressed under the supervision of the FAA.”
Boeing has taken corrective actions in the configuration management of the 787 program. According to the report, the aircraft manufacturer contradicts that Bickeböller was harassed. “No retaliation was taken against the employee,” a spokesman said. “This practice is strictly forbidden.” Anyone who violates them must expect sanctions. “The company makes its employees aware of their legal protection as whistleblowers.”
The new allegations are serious because Boeing has already had to admit to a number of problems with its aircraft after the crash of two 737 MAXs. As it became known on Monday, safety tests were not carried out on the 787, but were noted in the test documents. In recent weeks, further whistleblowers and technical breakdowns on aircraft have portrayed the US company in a bad light.