EDITORIAL: Airline oversight shortcuts put public at risk
Boeing, particularly in recent years, has had a complicated relationship with Federal Aviation Administration officials.
The world's largest aerospace company - one of Washington's largest private employers - has provided both an abject lesson and an object lesson in the role of government oversight. Now, the company is at the center of debates regarding internal processes for FAA regulation of airline manufacturers.
In the end, a final FAA decision demonstrates improvements from a failed and tragic lack of oversight in the past decade. It also demonstrates the benefits of continued diligence.
The summary, as reported recently by The Seattle Times:
In late 2023, two Boeing 737 MAX planes experienced smoke - once in the cockpit and once in the cabin - while in flight. That was the result of a load reduction device being activated by a bird strike on an engine. In each case, the plane landed safely and no injuries were reported, but the smoke posed a danger to passengers and crew.
One investigative team at the FAA recommended changes to takeoff procedures for all 737 MAX operators while Boeing and engine manufacturer CFM International worked on a solution. Another FAA team argued that changes would burden pilots and create new safety issues.
Last week, according to the Times, the FAA's inspector general issued a report saying the administration's Corrective Action Review Board, which had the final say on procedures, did not address all of the safety concerns. The inspector general urged the FAA to notify pilots of the risks associated with the load reduction device and ensure pilot training on protocol if smoke and fumes enter the cockpit.
The bureaucracy is complicated, but it highlights the role that inspectors general play in that bureaucracy. As a 2023 congressional report details, IGs focus on government performance and effectiveness in addition to waste, fraud and abuse; analysis of technical programs; and complex analytical tools.
At that time, the federal government had 74 inspector general offices; since January 2025, the Trump administration has fired at least 21 IGs, according to a report this month from The Cato Institute. "These watchdogs cost a combined $3.9 billion annually . . . but likely save taxpayers many billions more than that from their investigative efforts," Cato reports.
The situation at Boeing also demonstrates the oversight that has made airline travel extraordinarily safe in the United States, and it demonstrates an improvement over Boeing's recent history with the FAA.
Following the crash of a Boeing 737 MAX in October 2018 in Indonesia - and another in March 2019 in Kenya - investigations revealed lax oversight that had largely allowed the company to self-certify its safety measures. Flaws in a maneuvering system led to the crashes and 346 deaths.
Following the latest report regarding smoke incidents, FAA officials wrote: "The Corrective Action Review Board process continues to serve as an effective tool. FAA is committed to ensuring that Boeing and CFM International test and update affected software and that operators incorporate any necessary training so that flight crews can effectively respond to (load reduction device) activation."
Investigators and unions representing pilots have reached differing conclusions regarding the issue and potential solutions. But such detailed examinations are necessary. When it comes to public safety and confidence in the airline industry, there are no viable shortcuts.
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