The Nugget
- A Boeing engineer, Sam Salehpour, revealed in a senate hearing that Boeing has been taking manufacturing shortcuts on the 787 program, leading to serious safety concerns and potentially defective airplanes.
Key quotes
- "I'm here today because I felt that I must come forward because I do not want to see another 787 or 777 crash."
- "I have serious concerns about the safety of the 787 and 777 aircraft and I'm willing to take on professional risk to talk about them."
- "98.7% of the time, the gaps that were supposed to be shimmed were not shimmed."
- "Boeing manufacturing used unmeasured and unlimited amount of force to correct the misalignment which weakens the airplane in the long run."
- "I literally saw people jumping on the pieces of the airplane to get them to align, I call it the Tarzan effect."
Key insights
Safety Concerns on the 787 Program
- Sam Salehpour raised serious safety concerns about the 787 and 777 aircraft due to manufacturing shortcuts.
- Significant gaps in the assembly of the fuselage and major joints were not properly addressed, compromising airplane safety.
- The rush to address production bottlenecks led to excessive force being used to push pieces together, potentially resulting in premature fatigue failure and defective airplanes.
Lack of Proper Alignment and Shimming
- Salehpour found that 98.7% of the time, gaps that required shimming were not addressed correctly.
- Boeing used unmeasured and excessive force to correct misalignments during manufacturing, weakening the airplanes in the long run.
- Witnessing severe misalignment during assembly, Salehpour noted unsustainable methods such as people jumping on airplane pieces to align them.
Make it stick
- 🚨 Always prioritize safety over shortcuts in manufacturing processes.
- 🛠️ Proper alignment and shimming are crucial for airplane safety and longevity.
- ⚠️ Excessive force used to correct misalignments can weaken the airplane's structure over time.
- 🏗️ Remember, quality manufacturing practices are essential for ensuring safe and reliable aircraft.
This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.