Posted on Mar 13, 2024
Dish soap, hotel key cards, and confusion: Boeing FAA audit unearths dozens of issues
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Over the past two months, passengers traveling aboard Boeing aircrafts have endured a sudden, injury-inducing nose-dive, a mid-air wheel detachment, and an emergency door plug horrifyingly blasting open during a flight. Now, new details emerging from a Federal Aviation Administration audit of the world’s second largest commercial aircraft manufacturer may run deeper than previously thought.
The six-week audit into Boeing and its 737 Max body supplier Spirit AeroSystems found “dozens” of quality control problems at production facilities, according to a slide presentation reviewed by The New York Times. In one case, mechanics working for Spirit were even observed using Dawn dish soap on a door seal in place of lubricant. The seal was then reportedly cleaned up with a “wet cheesecloth.” In another instance, Spirit mechanics were reportedly found using a hotel key card to check a door seal, which isn’t standard practice.
Over the past two months, passengers traveling aboard Boeing aircrafts have endured a sudden, injury-inducing nose-dive, a mid-air wheel detachment, and an emergency door plug horrifyingly blasting open during a flight. Now, new details emerging from a Federal Aviation Administration audit of the world’s second largest commercial aircraft manufacturer may run deeper than previously thought.
The six-week audit into Boeing and its 737 Max body supplier Spirit AeroSystems found “dozens” of quality control problems at production facilities, according to a slide presentation reviewed by The New York Times. In one case, mechanics working for Spirit were even observed using Dawn dish soap on a door seal in place of lubricant. The seal was then reportedly cleaned up with a “wet cheesecloth.” In another instance, Spirit mechanics were reportedly found using a hotel key card to check a door seal, which isn’t standard practice.
Dish soap, hotel key cards, and confusion: Boeing FAA audit unearths dozens of issues
Posted from popsci.com
Boeing
Flying
Investigation
Aviation
Edited 9 mo ago
Posted 9 mo ago
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Maintainers have always found shortcuts or work-arounds to get the job done, they do not necessarily make the aircraft unsafe. I.E. If a Gap of .015 is allowable but you can't insert a Hotel Key card that is .010 you are good to go. If you do not have feeler guages but do have Calipers you can get the job done to Spec.
Dawn Dish Soap as an approved lubricant??? Well they wash Ducklings in it so I don't know.
Dawn Dish Soap as an approved lubricant??? Well they wash Ducklings in it so I don't know.
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MSG Thomas Currie
Maintainers using shortcuts is a fact of life that nothing is ever going to change. It isn't a problem if those maintainers understand the proper procedure and understand the shortcut. The key card example cited by MSgt Dale Johnson is a perfect example of a reasonable shortcut.
Problems start when the maintainers don't know the proper procedures or don't understand what is being checked or maintained, but only know the shortcuts.
The problem then becomes serious when that maintainer "trains" the next maintainer by teaching them the shortcut AS the proper procedure, because as sure as night follows day that next maintainer is going to find a new shortcut for the shortcut.
Soon enough that maintainer will be training his replacement, and the short-shortcut will become the regular method and the new guy will find his own short-short-shortcut.
This cycle continues until one of those new guys notices that "This thing never has any problems, so there isn't really any reason to waste time checking it."
And then HE trains the next new guy!
Problems start when the maintainers don't know the proper procedures or don't understand what is being checked or maintained, but only know the shortcuts.
The problem then becomes serious when that maintainer "trains" the next maintainer by teaching them the shortcut AS the proper procedure, because as sure as night follows day that next maintainer is going to find a new shortcut for the shortcut.
Soon enough that maintainer will be training his replacement, and the short-shortcut will become the regular method and the new guy will find his own short-short-shortcut.
This cycle continues until one of those new guys notices that "This thing never has any problems, so there isn't really any reason to waste time checking it."
And then HE trains the next new guy!
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
GySgt Jack Wallace -
.GySgt Jack Wallace
-" So does the Air Force use it on there Jets??"
Might Be A GREAT Suggestion !
Contact The DOD And Drop It In Their Suggestion Box....LOL
.GySgt Jack Wallace
-" So does the Air Force use it on there Jets??"
Might Be A GREAT Suggestion !
Contact The DOD And Drop It In Their Suggestion Box....LOL
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
MSG Thomas Currie - ...
That Manner Of Mentality & Work Ethics Is Relatively Common Practice.
"Let The Next Shift Get It" OR "That's Not Part Of My Job..."...
~Being In Business For Over 27 Years, I've Seen It Happen More Than Just Once.~
That Manner Of Mentality & Work Ethics Is Relatively Common Practice.
"Let The Next Shift Get It" OR "That's Not Part Of My Job..."...
~Being In Business For Over 27 Years, I've Seen It Happen More Than Just Once.~
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