To The Reader’s Forum:

Why is it that the Government and the Media keep going after Boeing?

Before I retired, I was an Independent Contractor (inspector) working for a company that built Nuclear Submarines.

From my experience and background, the majority of these failures are due to poor maintenance, inspection, testing and verifications by the Airlines and FAA Inspection practices.

Boeing designed, built, inspected, and flight tested these aircraft before considering them to be flight worthy. The FAA follows this up by a final inspection and sign-off for release to the Airlines. Before accepting the aircraft the Airlines perform an in-depth inspection and a flight test of the aircraft to verify that the aircraft is in-fact flight worthy.

There are periodic inspections and tests to be performed on the Aircraft (30,60, and 120 flight hour inspections and tests) to be performed by the Airlines Mechanics, verified by the Airline Inspectors and the FAA.

In between these flight hour inspections, there is normal aircraft maintenance. Tire and brake changes, engine work, electrical work, etc. All this work is to be verified by the Airlines Inspector and the FAA.

Yet, doors fall off, wheels fall off, engine covers fall off. Where was the Mechanic who did the work, the Airline Inspector, the FAA Inspector? How did these failures get missed?

This is not due to Boeing’s poor design, inspection, or test methods. From my perspective the responsibility lies directly on the Airlines and the FAA.

David P. Holmstrom

Lakewood