Another problem for Boeing

[Capt Lightning]

A missing external panel on a Boeing plane was detected when it landed at an airport in the US state of Oregon on Friday, says United Airlines.
A spokesperson said United flight 433, from San Francisco, arrived at the Rogue Valley International Airport in Medford, Oregon, at about 11:30 (18:30 GMT) on Friday.
The 25-year-old Boeing 737-800 was carrying 139 passengers and 6 crew.
No-one was injured - the missing panel went unnoticed during the flight.
Boeing is under fierce scrutiny after a series of high-profile safety incidents.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

Obviously, maintenance is a big issue with planes. Most don't realize that the plane they are flying can be older than they are. And that a plane, sitting on the ground, doesn't make a dime. The only time it's profitable is when there's passengers flying on it. Maintenance is costly and keeps planes on the ground. And it's clear Boeing wants to bang out as many planes per day as they can.

 

[Capt Lightning]

Thinking about it, it's a long time since I've flown in a Boeing aeroplane. Most of the flights out of here use Airbus, Embraer or De Havilland.

 

[birdy]

Boeing is in big trouble. So many issues. It sounds like they either aren't following a production protocol or they stopped documenting it in paperwork, so they can't effectively track the tool management and standards. I read something recently about hiring practices....I wish I could remember it accurately, but I got the impression that expertise was not high on the list for new hires. What I remember is far too vague to draw any real conclusions from, but it does raise eyebrows.

 

[Born_To_Lose]

A lot of these recent Boeing issues and United's problems can be tied to the government's insistence on firing people that wouldn't take the needle for the virus vaccine forcing companies to hire people that aren't experienced in aviation or they don't have any skills in manufacturing or the assembly of aircrafts.

I think we all knew there was going to be a price to pay for such illogic rules that allowed people with the experience to walk out the door. I seldom say this, but we have a lot of really dumb people in government. Even our armed forces are begging for people to sign up. I can't even go to the grocery store and find someone that can tell me where the meat department is located.

I expect to see more of this happen. Airbus will overtake Boeing in the commercial aviation field, if they haven't already done so. It used to be I wouldn't fly on anything, except Boeing, but that was then and this is now.,

 

[Mike]

I spent several years in the Royal Air Force as an
Aircraft Electrician, after a plane had been in for
an inspection, a bigger one than a Pre-Flight, when
it was ready to go out on an Air-Test flight, the
Crew Chief came and picked, 5 or 6 airmen who
had worked on the plane, during the inspection,
to fly on the test, we were not given parachutes,
but the Aircrew were!

We all made sure that the job was done properly,
in case we were picked for the Test-Flight.

No plane ever had a problem because of our work.

Mike.

 

[oldman]

I flew Boeing aircraft for many years. Never had a lick of trouble that I could blame on the production people, but did have some maintenance issues that I could point a finger at United's maintenance staff.

I am beginning to think there is some kind of espionage or sabotage going on. Boeing never had so many issues at one time like we are seeing now. The outside panels on aircraft are held on by using many, many rivets. How they would suddenly start coming off is beyond my belief. They need to put cameras up in the maintenance sheds so they can be reviewed later just to make sure that no one is messing with planes to make either Boeing or the airline using the plane look bad.

I really can't remember or think of any Boeing planes that I ever flew having any missing parts. In fact, I flew the very first Boeing 737-700 (other than the the test pilot) commercially from Seattle to Phoenix with every seat filled and we never had an issue. I was always a little leery when flying an aircraft that had some major work done on it, like replaced engines or having cables that control the ailerons or flaps replaced, or any work that may have been done to the tail.