Boeing CEO sees questionable improvement with 737 MAX
Boeing CEO Stephanie Pope is currently working on getting the 737 MAX back in service. Just before the start of the Farnborough Airshow, she is promoting the aircraft - and is confident that production issues will be resolved soon.
Troubled aircraft manufacturer Boeing is seeing significant improvement in the production of its 737 MAX model. The workflows in the 737 factory have noticeably improved, said Stephanie Pope, who has been responsible for the civil aircraft division since the beginning of the year.
The manager spoke on a panel just before the upcoming Farnborough Airshow near London in the coming week. Pope said Boeing had agreed on a course of action to address problems with a engine bleed system that significantly delayed the certification of the 737 MAX 7. The manager signaled that a solution would be needed by 2025.
Boeing is facing safety issues, market share losses, and legal consequences. The aircraft manufacturer is also dealing with other problems, including potential penalties related to two fatal crashes of 737 MAX aircraft, in which 346 people died.
Boeing's rival Airbus is in a crisis that was exacerbated by an incident on January 5, 2024. During a flight, a turbo fan cowling on a 737 MAX from Alaska Airlines came loose. Fortunately, the two seats directly above the opening were empty - no one was injured. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) believes that bolts were missing from the detached part. There were also repeated issues with drilled holes in the fuselage being incorrect.
Boeing CEO David Calhoun is set to retire at the end of 2024. He has been a member of the Boeing board since 2009 and was appointed CEO in 2020 to get the aircraft manufacturer back on track after two crashes of 737 MAX aircraft that resulted in nearly 350 fatalities. When asked by journalists if she was interested in the job, Pope said she was currently fully focused on her current position.
During her promotion of the Boeing 737 MAX at the Farnborough Airshow, CEO Stephanie Pope expressed confidence that the aviation industry's economy will benefit from the resolution of production issues with the aircraft. Furthermore, Boeing's ongoing efforts to address safety concerns and engine bleed system problems with the Boeing 737 Max are expected to boost the company's position in the aviation market.
