Ex-Boeing manager in call for more checks as controversial 737 MAX aircraft gets set to fly again in Europe

Fresh concerns have been raised about the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft just days before it gets clearance to fly in Europe.
An Ethiopian Airways 737 MAX similar to the one which crashed near Addis Ababa.An Ethiopian Airways 737 MAX similar to the one which crashed near Addis Ababa.
An Ethiopian Airways 737 MAX similar to the one which crashed near Addis Ababa.

A former senior manager at the company, who has admitted he would be reluctant to take his own family on the plane, has called for more investigations into its safety after two almost identical crashes which killed 346 people, including Penwortham aid worker Sam Pegram.

The 737 MAX was grounded across the world after the two crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But now, after modifications have been carried out at the Boeing plant in Seattle, the aircraft has been cleared to fly by the United States and Brazil. European authorities will follow suit this week.

Ed Pierson, who had a senior role on the 737 production line, believes more checks need to be made to electrical systems, flight control and production quality issues at the plant.

Despite regulators in both the US and Europe insisting the plane is now safe, Mr Pierson believes production defects may not have been properly addressed in the rush to get the plane back in the air.

Boeing has said any link between working conditions at the factory and the two crashes is “completely unfounded. Investigations have found no link.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.