aviation

Workers next to an unpainted 737 aircraft and unattached wing with the Ryanair logo as Boeing’s 737 factory teams hold the first day of a “Quality Stand Down” for the 737 program at Boeing’s factory in Renton on Jan. 25. (Jason Redmond/AFP/Getty Images)

7 things to know about a potential Boeing strike

Negotiations between the IAM District 751 union and Boeing are always tense. This time though, the stakes are particularly high.

 

Hundreds of Boeing employees get ready to lead the second 787 for delivery to All Nippon Airways in Everett in 2011. (Michael O’Leary/The Herald)

As strike looms, Biden administration monitors Boeing labor talks

Leaders of the union have been holed up with Boeing officials hammering out an agreement to replace a contract expiring Sept. 12.

 

ZeroAvia founder and CEO Val Mifthakof, left, shows Gov. Jay Inslee a hydrogen-powered motor during an event at ZeroAvia’s new Everett facility on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, near Paine Field in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

FAA awards ZeroAvia in Everett $4.2M toward sustainable flight goals

The aerospace company will use federal grant to advance technology at new facility. Statewide, aviation projects received $38M.

 

A Boeing 737 MAX 9 airplane test its engines outside of the company’s factory in 2019, in Renton. (Stephen Brashear/Getty Images/TNS)

Boeing’s manufacturing woes long preceded door-panel blowout

Last week’s NTSB hearings showed the company’s production problems persisted for years despite several warning signs.

A Boeing 737 MAX 9 airplane test its engines outside of the company’s factory in 2019, in Renton. (Stephen Brashear/Getty Images/TNS)
FILE — Alaska Airlines N704AL, a Boeing 737 Max 9 that had a door plug blow out from its fuselage midair, parked at a maintenance hanger at Portland International Airport in Portland, Ore., on Monday, January 8, 2024. Boeing drew fresh criticism from a federal regulator on Thursday, June 27, over disclosures about the continuing investigation into the harrowing January flight. (Amanda Lucier/The New York Times)

Boeing agrees to plead guilty to felony in deal with Justice Department

As part of the deal, the company agreed to pay a fine of nearly half a billion dollars and strengthen its safety programs.

FILE — Alaska Airlines N704AL, a Boeing 737 Max 9 that had a door plug blow out from its fuselage midair, parked at a maintenance hanger at Portland International Airport in Portland, Ore., on Monday, January 8, 2024. Boeing drew fresh criticism from a federal regulator on Thursday, June 27, over disclosures about the continuing investigation into the harrowing January flight. (Amanda Lucier/The New York Times)
FILE — Boeing 737 MAX8 airplanes on the assembly line at the Boeing plant in Renton, Wash., on March 27, 2019. Boeing said on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, that it was shaking up the leadership in its commercial airplanes unit after a harrowing incident last month during which a piece fell off a 737 Max 9 jet in flight. (Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)

US said to seek Boeing guilty plea to avoid trial in 737 Max crashes

The Justice Department told victims’ families that it would propose a nearly $244 million fine and three years of company oversight to settle a fraud charge.

FILE — Boeing 737 MAX8 airplanes on the assembly line at the Boeing plant in Renton, Wash., on March 27, 2019. Boeing said on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, that it was shaking up the leadership in its commercial airplanes unit after a harrowing incident last month during which a piece fell off a 737 Max 9 jet in flight. (Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)
FILE — Alaska Airlines N704AL, a Boeing 737 Max 9 that had a door plug blow out from its fuselage midair, parked at a maintenance hanger at Portland International Airport in Portland, Ore., on Monday, January 8, 2024. Boeing drew fresh criticism from a federal regulator on Thursday, June 27, over disclosures about the continuing investigation into the harrowing January flight. (Amanda Lucier/The New York Times)

Boeing angers safety officials with disclosures on 737 Max incident

The National Transportation Safety Board said Boeing had improperly released information about the blowout of a panel on an Alaska Airlines flight.

FILE — Alaska Airlines N704AL, a Boeing 737 Max 9 that had a door plug blow out from its fuselage midair, parked at a maintenance hanger at Portland International Airport in Portland, Ore., on Monday, January 8, 2024. Boeing drew fresh criticism from a federal regulator on Thursday, June 27, over disclosures about the continuing investigation into the harrowing January flight. (Amanda Lucier/The New York Times)
A Boeing 737 MAX 9 airplane test its engines outside of the company's factory on March 11, 2019 in Renton, Washington. Boeing's stock dropped today after an Ethiopian Airlines flight was the second deadly crash in six months involving the Boeing 737 Max 8, the newest version of its most popular jetliner. (Stephen Brashear/Getty Images/TNS)

Boeing lost track of up to 400 faulty 737 Max parts, whistleblower says

The claims were detailed in a Boeing inspector’s complaint on June 11 and made public by a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday.

A Boeing 737 MAX 9 airplane test its engines outside of the company's factory on March 11, 2019 in Renton, Washington. Boeing's stock dropped today after an Ethiopian Airlines flight was the second deadly crash in six months involving the Boeing 737 Max 8, the newest version of its most popular jetliner. (Stephen Brashear/Getty Images/TNS)
Dave Calhoun speaks during a 2017 interview in New York. (Christopher Goodney/Bloomberg)

Boeing CEO apologizes for quality and safety issues at Senate hearing

Before the Tuesday hearing, a congressional subcommittee accused Boeing of mismanaging parts and cutting quality inspections.

Dave Calhoun speaks during a 2017 interview in New York. (Christopher Goodney/Bloomberg)
FILE — Jet fuselages at Boeing’s fabrication site in Everett, Wash., Sept. 28, 2022. Some recently manufactured Boeing and Airbus jets have components made from titanium that was sold using fake documentation verifying the material’s authenticity, according to a supplier for the plane makers. (Jovelle Tamayo/The New York Times)

FAA investigating counterfeit titanium in Boeing and Airbus jets

The material, purchased from a little-known Chinese company, was sold with falsified documents and used in parts that went into jets.

FILE — Jet fuselages at Boeing’s fabrication site in Everett, Wash., Sept. 28, 2022. Some recently manufactured Boeing and Airbus jets have components made from titanium that was sold using fake documentation verifying the material’s authenticity, according to a supplier for the plane makers. (Jovelle Tamayo/The New York Times)
FILE — Michael Whitaker, Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, testifies before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Feb. 6, 2024. Whitaker told a Senate panel, on Thursday, June 13, 2024, that changes are being made to the agency’s oversight of Boeing, including conducting more safety inspections. (Anna Rose Layden/The New York Times)

Boeing discloses new quality problem on 787 Dreamliner jets

The issue affects jets built in South Carolina that have yet to be delivered, the company said in a statement.

FILE — Michael Whitaker, Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, testifies before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Feb. 6, 2024. Whitaker told a Senate panel, on Thursday, June 13, 2024, that changes are being made to the agency’s oversight of Boeing, including conducting more safety inspections. (Anna Rose Layden/The New York Times)

A big decision for Boeing’s next CEO: Is it time for a new plane?

As Boeing faces increased competition from Airbus, the company is expected to appoint a new CEO by the end of the year.

With the Olympic mountains in the background, Boeing's 777x lifts off from Paine Field on its first flight, to Boeing Field in Seattle, on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020 in Everett, Wash. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

1 dead, dozens injured after turbulence on Boeing plane

A Singapore Airlines flight from London was diverted to Bangkok, where more than 70 people were being treated for injuries.

With the Olympic mountains in the background, Boeing's 777x lifts off from Paine Field on its first flight, to Boeing Field in Seattle, on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020 in Everett, Wash. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
The nose of the 500th 787 Dreamliner at the assembly plant in Everett on Wednesday morning on September 21, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Ex-Boeing engineer, sidelined after a 787 critique, defends troubled plane

Dueling narratives emerged as Boeing’s credibility is near an all-time low, leaving industry observers and the public at a loss as to the risk.

The nose of the 500th 787 Dreamliner at the assembly plant in Everett on Wednesday morning on September 21, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Michael O'Leary/The Herald
Hundreds of Boeing employees get ready to lead the second 787 for delivery to ANA in a procession to begin the employee delivery ceremony in Everett Monday morning.

photo shot Monday September 26, 2011

Boeing faces FAA probe of Dreamliner inspections, records

The probe intensifies scrutiny of the planemaker’s top-selling widebody jet after an Everett whistleblower alleged other issues.

Michael O'Leary/The Herald
Hundreds of Boeing employees get ready to lead the second 787 for delivery to ANA in a procession to begin the employee delivery ceremony in Everett Monday morning.

photo shot Monday September 26, 2011
Traffic moves along Highway 526 in front of Boeing’s Everett Production Facility on Nov. 28, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / Sound Publishing)

Frank Shrontz, former CEO and chairman of Boeing, dies at 92

Shrontz, who died Friday, was also a member of the ownership group that took over the Seattle Mariners in 1992.

Traffic moves along Highway 526 in front of Boeing’s Everett Production Facility on Nov. 28, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / Sound Publishing)
Boeing workers walk to and from their cars during a shift change on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020 in Everett, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Whistleblower Josh Dean, of Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, has died

Dean, 45, alleged Spirit ignored manufacturing defects on the 737 MAX. He alleged wrongful termination after he brought concerns.

Boeing workers walk to and from their cars during a shift change on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020 in Everett, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
FILE - A Boeing 737 Max jet prepares to land at Boeing Field following a test flight in Seattle, Sept. 30, 2020. Boeing said Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, that it took more than 200 net orders for passenger airplanes in December and finished 2022 with its best year since 2018, which was before two deadly crashes involving its 737 Max jet and a pandemic that choked off demand for new planes. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Boeing’s $3.9B cash burn adds urgency to revival plan

Boeing’s first three months of the year have been overshadowed by the fallout from a near-catastrophic incident in January.

FILE - A Boeing 737 Max jet prepares to land at Boeing Field following a test flight in Seattle, Sept. 30, 2020. Boeing said Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, that it took more than 200 net orders for passenger airplanes in December and finished 2022 with its best year since 2018, which was before two deadly crashes involving its 737 Max jet and a pandemic that choked off demand for new planes. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
Boeing Quality Engineer Sam Salehpour, right, takes his seat before testifying at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs - Subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine Boeing's broken safety culture with Ed Pierson, and Joe Jacobsen, right, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Everett Boeing whistleblower: ‘They are putting out defective airplanes’

Dual Senate hearings Wednesday examined allegations of major safety failures at the aircraft maker.

Boeing Quality Engineer Sam Salehpour, right, takes his seat before testifying at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs - Subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine Boeing's broken safety culture with Ed Pierson, and Joe Jacobsen, right, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
Dave Calhoun, center, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Jan. 24. (Samuel Corum / Bloomberg)

Boeing fired lobbying firm that helped it navigate 737 Max crashes

Amid congressional hearings on Boeing’s “broken safety culture,” the company has severed ties with one of D.C.’s most powerful firms.

Dave Calhoun, center, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Jan. 24. (Samuel Corum / Bloomberg)