Is Boeing finally getting their act together? > Production ramping up on 737 MAX

 

Boeing allowed to ramp up 737 Max plane production after safety incidents

The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it will allow Boeing to produce more 737 Max airplanes by increasing the limit that was imposed after a door plug flew off an Alaska Airlines jet that the company built.

After the terrifying January 2024 incident, the FAA capped Boeing’s production of Max jets to 38 per month. In practice, the production rate fell well below that ceiling last year as the company contended with investigations and a machinists’ strike that idled factories for almost eight weeks.

The company said in July that it reached the monthly cap in the second quarter and would eventually seek the FAA’s permission to increase production.

The FAA said Friday that “safety inspectors conducted extensive reviews of Boeing’s production lines to ensure that this small production rate increase will be done safely.”

The agency said this won’t change the way it oversees Boeing production processes and its efforts to strengthen its safety culture, and the FAA’s inspectors at Boeing plants have continued to work during the shutdown.

2:57

Business Matters: FAA says Boeing can’t increase 737 Max production until quality, safety culture improved

A Boeing spokesperson said this step followed a disciplined process guided by the company’s safety management system that allowed Boeing to demonstrate it could handle building more planes.

“We remain committed to implementing our Safety & Quality Plan and working with our suppliers to increase production in a disciplined manner,” Boeing said in a statement. “We appreciate the work by our team, our suppliers and the FAA to ensure we are prepared to increase production with safety and quality at the forefront.”

Neither the FAA nor Boeing said what the new limit will be in their statements on the move.

Just last month, the FAA also restored Boeing’s ability to perform the final safety inspections on 737 Max planes it builds and certify them for flight. The planemaker hadn’t been allowed to do that for more than six years after two crashes of the then-new model killed 346 people.

Federal regulators took full control over 737 Max approvals in 2019, after the second of two crashes that were later blamed on a new software system Boeing developed for the aircraft. The FAA ended the company’s right to self-certify Dreamliners in 2022, citing ongoing production quality issues.

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This Month's Adventures in Boeing > Dreamliner crash takes 279 lives, leaves one; Another Dreamliner returns to Hong Kong after technical issue; 3 more Dreamliners diverted in 3 days

 

'Technical issue' forces Air India Boeing 787 to turn back to Hong Kong

By Andrew Sookdeo

The Being 787 Dreamliner has flown commerically since 2011. Photo by Prime Studio, courtesy of The Boeing Co.

June 16 (UPI) -- An Air India Boeing 787-8 flight headed for New Delhi returned to Hong Kong shortly after takeoff Monday because of a "technical issue," Indian media reported.

The issue occurred just days after a similar Dreamliner crashed into buildings in Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing at least 279 people in the aircraft and on the ground. It was the first Dreamliner crash and only one passenger survived.

"A passenger flight, AI315, operated by Air India from Hong Kong to New Delhi made a return to Hong Kong International Airport and requested local standby at around 1p.m. today," a spokesperson for Airport Authority Hong Kong said.

Air India said in a statement that the plane returned to undergo checks "as a matter of abundant precaution."

Some aviation analysts believe the wing flaps on the plane that crashed were not in the correct position.

"It looked like the jet struggled to maintain lift," Dan Bubb, a longtime pilot and now airline historian at the University of Nevada, said.

"Some pilots have speculated that the flaps may not have been set to the takeoff position. Historically, there have been crashes when flaps weren't properly configured."

Authorities have ordered Air India to carry out more safety checks on all Boeing 787s. The Dreamliner has flown commercially since 2011.

One survivor found, 260+ dead in 

Air India plane crash

By Ian Stark & Mike Heuer

1 of 14 | Search and recovery teams work through the rubble of the plane crash in Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday. Officials said at least one person survived the crash of an Air India plane that was carrying 242 people. Photo by Hanif Sindh/UPI | License Photo

June 12 (UPI) -- Police in the Indian city of Ahmedabad said one person survived and more than 260 died in the Air India plane crash as recovery efforts continue on Thursday.

The lone survivor was among the airliner's 242 passengers and crew after the aircraft crashed in a populated area and struck a medical college, The New York Times reported.

Several students died when the plane struck the medical college, which raised the death toll to nearly 270.

A hospital near the crash site received 269 bodies, but the exact death toll won't be announced until after DNA testing is done, according to local police.

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The survivor has been identified as a British citizen named Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.

He was in seat 11A on the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that was bound for London when it crashed shortly after taking off from an airport in Ahmedabad in western India, BBC News reported.

His brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, told the BBC that his brother doesn't know how he survived or got out of the plane.

"Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly," Ramesh told media.

Air India previously announced that Flight AI171 was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national.

Air India Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson has since explained the plane was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members.

The plane took off from Ahmedabad Airport at about 1:38 p.m. local time en route to London Gatwick Airport.

It crashed into a residential area near the Ahmedabad airport after reaching an altitude of 625 feet shortly after takeoff.

Part of the plane struck the dining area of B.J. Medical College.

Federation of All India Medical Association Vice President Dr. Divyaansh Singh announced in a X post that reports indicate there are 10 to 20 casualties from its student body and resident doctors.

He also has requested that those in or near Ahmedabad donate blood to help those injured in the accident.

Ahmedabad Police also posted a list of 25 people who were injured, most of whom are between the ages of 18 and 20.

Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran announced in a statement that he and the airline's parent company Tata Group "are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171."

Chandrasekaran further explained that his company will cover the medical expenses of those injured, provide support to B.J. Medical College and give around $117,000 to the families of each person who died in the crash.

He concluded the statement by noting, "We remain steadfast in standing with the affected families and communities during this unimaginable time."

Midair emergencies force four Boeing Dreamliners

to divert India flights

Air India, Lufthansa and British Airways have cited technical issues for the diversions

FILE PHOTO. ©  Fabrizio Gandolfo / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images

Four Boeing 787 Dreamliners on international flights to India have been forced to turn back due to technical issues over the past few days, according to media reports. 

On Sunday, a Hyderabad-bound Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt returned to the German airport midway through the journey based on a suspected bomb threat, according to sources quoted by the media outlet India Today. Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Hyderabad airport received a message that the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was returning to Frankfurt after having taken off.

On Monday, Air India flight AI315 was forced to return to Hong Kong just 15 minutes after taking off, Reuters reported. The airline confirmed the incident, citing a “technical issue” as the reason for the return, but did not provide further details. The Boeing 787-8 aircraft successfully landed without incident, and alternate arrangements were made for the passengers.

Also on Monday, a British Airways flight carrying 214 passengers to Chennai was forced to dump fuel and return to London after the pilots reported a suspected technical issue, Business Insider reported. “The aircraft returned to Heathrow as a standard precaution after reports of a technical issue,” a BA spokesperson told the website, adding that there was no “emergency landing.”

In a similar incident, passengers on an Air India San Francisco-Mumbai flight were asked to deplane in Kolkata on Tuesday after a snag was detected in the left engine during a scheduled stop, delaying the onward journey by hours, an India Today report said. These developments come just days after an Air India 787-8 crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing 290 people. 

Air India disaster death toll climbs to 270

Officials told the Associated Press that early indications suggest the aircraft may not have been correctly configured for takeoff. There have been numerous complaints, whistleblower revelations and concerns regarding the safety of Boeing 787s, according to media reports.

In 2019, a New York Times report revealed that John Barnett, a former quality manager who retired in 2017, had filed a whistleblower complaint alleging subpar work on the 787s. In January 2024, another whistleblower alleged that the Dreamliner’s fuselage had improper connections, with gaps that could cause it to break apart in flight.

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This Month's Adventures in Boeing > FedEx 767 engine bursts into flames on takeoff at Newark; How to turn an 8-day trip into 8 months; Space X mission to rescue Boeing astronauts delayed; Another Boeing engine bursts into flames

 

Just a few days after a United Airlines Boeing 757-200 had to return to Newark for a mechanical emergency, a Fed-Ex Boeing 767-3S2F returned immediately after takeoff as an engine burst into flames.

FedEx plane engine explodes in fire after Newark takeoff — prompting emergency landing

By 

Katherine Donlevy

Published March 1, 2025

 Updated March 1, 2025, 12:09 p.m. ET

A FedEx plane’s engine suddenly burst into flames shortly after taking off from Newark Airport Saturday morning — prompting an emergency landing as onlookers watched in horror.

Wild video showed the Boeing 767-3S2F racing back to the tarmac as flames spewed from the right engine around 8 a.m. The blaze reached several feet tall.

Two Port Authority fire trucks raced toward the plane as it landed and extinguished the flames.

A FedEx Boeing 767-3S2F engine caught fire shortly after taking off from Newark Airport Saturday morning.KProcrastinator/X

The National Transportation Safety Board said later Saturday it opened an investigation into the incident.

The sudden ignition was caused by a bird strike, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and FedEx.

“FedEx Flight 3609 from Newark to Indianapolis experienced a bird strike during takeoff. Our crew declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark. We are thankful for the quick actions of our crew and first responders,” a FedEx representative told The Post.The jet was forced to land at 8:07 a.m., just nine minutes after takeoff, flight data showed.

The extent of the damage was not clear, but the plane was cleared to make its journey to Indiana at 9:30 a.m., according to Flight Aware.

No one was injured. Air traffic was briefly halted as a precaution, but operations quickly resumed.

The fire came amid numerous passenger airplane accidents that have raised concerns about air safety in recent weeks.

On Tuesday, a Southwest plane narrowly avoided a disastrous collision at Chicago Midway Airport when a private jet rolled across the runway.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and FedEx say the sudden ignition was caused by a bird strike.Sofiane Zeblah via Storyful

Just one day earlier, a Delta Air Lines flight bound for South Carolina was forced to return to Atlanta on Monday morning when “haze” and smoke filled the cabin — the second such incident in as many days.

Seemingly increasing airplane hazards are garnering extra attention after last month’s tragic crash over the Potomac River.

All 67 people were killed when a Black Hawk helicopter collided midair with a commercial plane that was largely filled with young competitive figure skaters and their parents.

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Boeing's 8-day trip to space is now 8 months long

- Thanks Joe

Elon Musk

@elonmusk

The astronauts were only supposed to be up there for 8 days and now have been there for 8 months. SpaceX could have sent up another Dragon and brought them home 6 months ago, but the Biden White House (not NASA) refused to allow it. President Trump asked to bring them back as soon as possible and we are doing so.

Quote

@amuse

@amuse

·

1h

NASA: Turns out Elon Musk was telling the truth. Biden refused to let the stranded astronauts to come home last year for political reasons. x.com/spacesudoer/st…

2:54 PM · Mar 5, 2025

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1.4M

Views

SpaceX mission to bring stranded astronauts back home postponed

Americas

SpaceX postponed a mission to bring astronauts who have been stuck on the International Space Station back to earth on Wednesday. The postponement was due to an issue with the hydraulic system on the launch side and not an issue with the spacecraft, SpaceX said. 

12th March, 2025

France24

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SpaceX finally launched on Friday, 14th of March. The Boeing astronauts should be back on Earth next week.

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Meanwhile, on the 13th of March...

Passengers evacuate onto wing of American Airlines plane after engine catches fire at Denver airport

Grok: What kind of airplane caught fire in Denver

6 posts

15 web pages

The airplane that caught fire in Denver was a Boeing 737-800. This incident involved American

Airlines Flight 1006, which occurred on March 13, 2025, at Denver International Airport. The

plane had diverted from its original route from Colorado Springs to Dallas due to reported engine

vibrations, and the fire broke out in one of its engines while taxiing to the gate after landing safely.

Media seems reluctant to identify Boeing aircraft that are involved in an incident.

"Nerve-wrecking, terrifying and horrific."

That is how one witness described her experience getting off an American Airlines flight that caught fire after it was forced to make an emergency landing in Colorado.

Some of the 172 passengers travelling on the flight bound for Dallas were seen standing on the plane's wing after it touched down in Denver, with large plumes of smoke encircling around them.

Everyone on board, including six crew members, made it out of the plane alive, with 12 passengers treated at hospital for minor injuries, according to airport officials.

One of those passengers, Michele Woods, told CBS News, the BBC's US partner, how everything about the flight seemed normal at take off.

It was not until they were cruising in the air that she noticed a loud noise reverberating from one of the plane's engines.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) later confirmed the plane diverted to Denver at around 17:15 local time (23:15 GMT) after the crew reported "engine vibrations".

But even when the plane landed, passengers soon realised they were still far from safety.

"Everything was fine but then there was smoke filling the cabin," said Ms Woods, who was returning home after attending a trade show in Colorado.

Seated at the front of the plane, she explained how she was one of the few in a position where they were able to walk off the plane once it had touched down.

Other passengers, as now viral images of huddled people standing on the wing of a smoking plane show, did not have as straightforward an escape.

Ingrid Hibbit, who was travelling on flight 1006 with her husband and daughter, was one of the unfortunate few forced out onto the wing before she could reconnect with her family on the ground.

"[You could see] flames from the window and the windows [were] kind of melting," Ms Hibbit told CBS. Dismounting from the plane proved to be a difficult task - not helped, she pointed out, by being dressed in Birkenstock sandals.

"I was like shaking, I was not stable," she admitted.

Adding to her already fever-pitch anxieties was the fact neither she, nor any member of her family, were seated in the same section of the plane. They could communicate only through text messages.

"I was hoping everything was okay, but we really didn't know for sure," she said, adding that despite the ordeal lasting only 10 minutes, "it was a very long 10 minutes".

"It was a really great feeling to see that everyone was okay."

She and her family finally touched down at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Friday morning, along with several of the other passengers.

Relief, she said, had swept through the group, particularly after an "exhausting" episode that had overshadowed the start of their family holiday.

"If this would've happened in the air, I don't think we would be telling this story at all, because who knows what that would've been like," she said. "I'm grateful that everyone survived."