The Boeing 787 has been the subject of multiple safety concerns in recent years, with whistleblowers warning of potential flaws. Recent months have seen a spate of Boeing-related accidents. While investigators are still piecing together the final moments of the aircraft crash in Ahmedabad, public anger is growing. The crash has reignited long-standing questions about Boeing’s safety practices and global reliability.
Adding weight to the growing skepticism is Sam Salehpour, a Boeing engineer-turned-whistleblower, whose formal complaint to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier this year made headlines. Salehpour alleged that Boeing had taken shortcuts during the production of both the 787 Dreamliner and the 777, compromising structural integrity in ways that could lead to “catastrophic” failures over time.
“I’m not doing this to bring Boeing down,” he said at a press briefing. “I’m doing this because I want to prevent a crash.” Salehpour pointed to improperly filled gaps in the fuselage—where different sections of the aircraft are joined—as a long-term risk that could increase stress and reduce lifespan.
His revelations were not without precedent. In 2021, both Boeing and the FAA had paused 787 Dreamliner deliveries for nearly two years to investigate similar concerns. Boeing claimed at the time that it had resolved the issue, but Salehpour maintained that unsafe practices continued. He described alarming assembly methods, such as workers “jumping on aircraft parts” to force them into alignment. “That’s not how you build an airplane,” he said.
Boeing, in response, has denied the accusations, stating: “These claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure long-term safety.”
Critics pointed out to the Swiftair 737-400 cargo plane crash earlier this year in Lithuania. The aircraft was allegedly an aging model, still in service primarily because Boeing’s newer jets have been plagued by production delays and reliability issues.
Tragedy also struck in South Korea, where a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crash-landed and overran the runway at Muan Airport, killing over 150 people.
Globally, trust in Boeing appears to be eroding. Experts have added that China has drastically scaled back its Boeing purchases, France and Lufthansa now favour Airbus, and Russia has stopped Boeing imports, at least for the time being.
Even the US Air Force recently paused deliveries of its KC-46 Pegasus tanker aircraft—developed by Boeing—over ongoing technical issues.
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