Boeing whistleblower says he was put through 'hell'

[Social Media]

 

The harrowing testimony of Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour before US lawmakers shed light on the immense challenges faced by whistleblowers within the aviation giant. Salehpour's account, delivered on Wednesday as part of a congressional inquiry into safety practices at Boeing, revealed a troubling pattern of harassment and intimidation following his attempts to raise safety concerns regarding the company's aircraft.

 

Salehpour detailed instances of hostility and retribution he faced after voicing apprehensions about alleged manufacturing shortcuts, spanning a three-year period beginning in 2020. His disclosures were met with dismissal and admonition, with superiors urging him to remain silent to avoid delays. Despite his persistent efforts to highlight potential safety hazards, Salehpour encountered resistance and was eventually transferred to a different role within the company—a move that appeared punitive in nature.

 

During his testimony, Salehpour painted a grim picture of Boeing's organizational culture, characterized by a lack of receptiveness to employee feedback and a disregard for safety protocols. He lamented the absence of a genuine safety culture where employees are encouraged to raise concerns without fear of reprisal. Salehpour's emotional recounting underscored the profound toll that whistleblowing took on his well-being, exemplified by incidents such as his tire being punctured by a nail—an occurrence he suspected was linked to his whistleblowing activities.

 

The congressional hearing, chaired by Senator Richard Blumenthal, signaled a critical juncture in Boeing's accountability for its safety practices. Blumenthal emphasized the gravity of the allegations against Boeing, describing them as "serious" and "shocking." He pledged to conduct a thorough investigation into the company's safety culture, stressing the need for transparency and accountability.

 

Boeing, in response to Salehpour's allegations, reiterated its commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive work environment. However, Salehpour's testimony, coupled with corroborating accounts from other whistleblowers, painted a troubling portrait of systemic issues within the company.

 

The hearing shed light on the broader implications of Boeing's safety lapses, extending beyond individual incidents to encompass the company's overall approach to safety and compliance. As Boeing grapples with mounting scrutiny and legal challenges, stakeholders are increasingly demanding accountability and decisive action to address systemic shortcomings.

 

For Salehpour and other whistleblowers, the journey towards justice and accountability remains fraught with challenges. Their courage in speaking out against corporate malfeasance serves as a beacon of hope for accountability and reform within the aerospace industry. As lawmakers continue to scrutinize Boeing's practices, Salehpour's testimony stands as a poignant reminder of the imperative to prioritize safety and integrity in all aspects of aviation.

 

18.04.24

Source

 

[Georgealbert]

Boeing whistleblower calls for 787 production to stop ahead of Senate hearing. Boeing’s response is that there were zero findings of fatigue in 787.

 

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/boeing-whistlblower-sam-salehpour-dreamliner

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, Social Media said:

Salehpour detailed instances of hostility and retribution he faced after voicing apprehensions about alleged manufacturing shortcuts, spanning a three-year period beginning in 2020. His disclosures were met with dismissal and admonition, with superiors urging him to remain silent to avoid delays. Despite his persistent efforts to highlight potential safety hazards, Salehpour encountered resistance and was eventually transferred to a different role within the company—a move that appeared punitive in nature.

 

During his testimony, Salehpour painted a grim picture of Boeing's organizational culture, characterized by a lack of receptiveness to employee feedback and a disregard for safety protocols. He lamented the absence of a genuine safety culture where employees are encouraged to raise concerns without fear of reprisal. Salehpour's emotional recounting underscored the profound toll that whistleblowing took on his well-being,

I can imagine Boeing has a lot to cover up.... it's sad when a diligent engineer feels the need to speak up against un-safe practices and is face with the wrath of a huge company trying to cover-up the truth.

[Tropicalevo]

8 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Boeing whistleblower calls for 787 production to stop ahead of Senate hearing. Boeing’s response is that there were zero findings of fatigue in 787.

 

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/boeing-whistlblower-sam-salehpour-dreamliner

This is the same Boeing that initially blamed the Indonesian 737 MAX crash in  on pilot error.

[impulse]

8 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Boeing whistleblower calls for 787 production to stop ahead of Senate hearing. Boeing’s response is that there were zero findings of fatigue in 787.

 

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/boeing-whistlblower-sam-salehpour-dreamliner

 

When the Boeing guy referred to 165,000 fatigue cycles, was he referring to a single test on a selected fuselage to test the design, or ongoing tests on production fuselages?  I can't imagine it being the latter...

 

Also, it would be interesting to see what they actually inspected when they claim to have found no fatigue on 689 of the 1100 in service, and how many hours and cycles those inspected planes had.

 

Edit:  I can think of a few dozen reasons it can't happen, but it would be interesting to have CCTV cameras in the Boeing assembly area streaming video for the public to see the planes being built.  And I can't think of a single reason they shouldn't have CCTV's for the FAA to watch.

 

Edited April 18 by impulse

[Georgealbert]

9 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

This is the same Boeing that initially blamed the Indonesian 737 MAX crash in  on pilot error.

Yes, and Boeing got away with being prosecuted for it, by entering a deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice.
 

Waiting to see if the current problems will open Boeing up to further compensation or possible prosecution from the Max 8 crashes.

 

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/boeing-charged-737-max-fraud-conspiracy-and-agrees-pay-over-25-billion

Edited April 18 by Georgealbert

[Georgealbert]

13 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

When the Boeing guy referred to 165,000 fatigue cycles, was he referring to a single test on a selected fuselage to test the design, or ongoing tests on production fuselages?  I can't imagine it being the latter...

 

Also, it would be interesting to see what they actually inspected when they claim to have found no fatigue on 689 of the 1100 in service, and how many hours and cycles those inspected planes had.

 

Edit:  I can think of a few dozen reasons it can't happen, but it would be interesting to have CCTV cameras in the Boeing assembly area streaming video for the public to see the planes being built.  And I can't think of a single reason they shouldn't have CCTV's for the FAA to watch.

 

The technical details of the tests could do with better clarity, but I assume it is what is required/requested by the FAA.
 

Found a few links, which may answer some of the points. I also think further details and data will come out over the next few weeks.

 

Boeing whistleblower claims refuted.

 

“Mr Thomas said that the claims by Sam Salehpour were “extraordinary” and in total contrast to the facts that show both the Boeing 787 and 777 are incredibly safe.”

 

https://www.airlineratings.com/featured/boeing-whistleblower-claims-refuted/

 

Boeing defends 787, 777 against whistleblower charges

 

“Steve Chisholm, Vice President and Chief Engineer for Boeing Mechanical and Structural Engineering, said that of the more than 1,100 787s in service, 671 completed 6-year maintenance inspections; eight completed 12-year maintenance inspections; 10 had “intensive structural maintenance evaluations;” and “Through all of this, there’s been zero airframe fatigue findings on the 787 fleet, and all these results have been shared with the FAA.”

 

https://leehamnews.com/2024/04/17/boeing-defends-787-777-against-whistleblower-charges/

 

Boeing Pushes Back on Whistleblower’s Allegations About Potential of Planes Breaking Apart During Flight.

 

“The Boeing officials described how sections of a fuselage are brought together, shims are added to fill gaps, holes are drilled and cleaned, and fasteners attached to apply “pull-up force” that 99% of the time results in margins no greater than .005 inches (0.127 millimeters) apart — the width of a human hair, they said. A gap problem was discovered in 2019 between two panels, which led to design and assembly changes, they said.”

 

Some video coverage and comments of the 2 senate hearings.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/boeing-whistleblowers-testify-on-capitol-hill/

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/breaking-down-boeing-whistleblower-testimony/

 

I know you have problems with some links being blocked, let me know if that happens.

 

 

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

The technical details of the tests could do with better clarity, but I assume it is what is required/requested by the FAA.

Good info and links.  Thx!

 

[Chomper Higgot]

58 minutes ago, impulse said:

When the Boeing guy referred to 165,000 fatigue cycles, was he referring to a single test on a selected fuselage to test the design, or ongoing tests on production fuselages? 

Almost certainly a single test airframe or sub assembly of an airframe.

 

1 hour ago, impulse said:

Also, it would be interesting to see what they actually inspected when they claim to have found no fatigue on 689 of the 1100 in service, and how many hours and cycles those inspected planes had.

The test regime and data are recorded with the FAA. 

 

1 hour ago, impulse said:

Edit:  I can think of a few dozen reasons it can't happen, but it would be interesting to have CCTV cameras in the Boeing assembly area streaming video for the public to see the planes being built.  And I can't think of a single reason they shouldn't have CCTV's for the FAA to watch.

 

The best reason against the idea is it would reveal nothing of value.

 

The aircraft industry controls build quality with inspection and testing regimes mandated by the FAA.

 

It’s that paper trail that assures build quality and airframe compliance to design safety criteria.


 

[impulse]

22 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The best reason against the idea is it would reveal nothing of value.

 

The aircraft industry controls build quality with inspection and testing regimes mandated by the FAA.

 

It’s that paper trail that assures build quality and airframe compliance to design safety criteria.

 

 

From the whistleblower:

 

“I viewed severe misalignments when the plane came together, which was remedied by using [an] unmeasured and unlimited amount of force to fit the misaligned holes and parts together. I literally saw people jumping on the pieces of the airplane to get them to align,” Salehpour said. 

 

I wonder where jumping up and down on the pieces would show up on the paperwork.  They'd sure show up on a CCTV video.

 

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/boeing-whistleblower-salehpour-faa

This whole case is about Boeing not following their own procedures.  And the FAA letting them get away with it.

 

 

Edited April 18 by impulse

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

 

From the whistleblower:

 

“I viewed severe misalignments when the plane came together, which was remedied by using [an] unmeasured and unlimited amount of force to fit the misaligned holes and parts together. I literally saw people jumping on the pieces of the airplane to get them to align,” Salehpour said. 

 

I wonder where jumping up and down on the pieces would show up on the paperwork.  They'd sure show up on a CCTV video.

 

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/boeing-whistleblower-salehpour-faa

This whole case is about Boeing not following their own procedures.  And the FAA letting them get away with it.

 

 

Yep, normalized deviance in the Boing Organization.

 

Once that took hold the safety of aircraft was already under threat before anyone jumped up and down on anything.

 

I hear the CEO is leaving with a package.

[Georgealbert]

I agree that the relationship between Boeing and the FAA has been to cosy in the past, but now the US Department of Transportation watchdog has said it is auditing the FAA’s oversight of Boeing.

 

“The FAA has long been criticised for reportedly giving in to Boeing’s demands of relaxing some safety requirements and allowing the company to conduct its own inspections.”

 

https://www.semafor.com/article/04/17/2024/department-of-transportation-investigating-faa-oversight-on-boeing

 

Sorry, but I am not commenting on the whistleblower’s comments, as little evidence or profit has been presented to the public to support or deny the claims, but I sure the Senate hearing will release more information later.

 

Some comments and key facts from yesterday’s hearing, from Forbes.

 

“After raising his concerns to his superiors, Salehpour said he was sidelined, told to shut up and received physical threats—telling the senators his boss said during a meeting “I would have killed someone who said what you said.”

 

Salehpour detailed one instance in which took his car in for maintenance after he noticed a one-month-old tire was losing too much air—and the mechanics found that a large nail had been deliberately placed into the rubber.

 

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., presented a photo of the tire to the subcommittee, but Salehpour said he did not have proof the nail was inserted by a coworker.

 

Salehpour also told Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., that his boss called him on his personal phone, not his assigned work phone, and “berated me and chewed me out” after pulling him out of a meeting in which he tried to raise his concerns about the 777.

 

Salehpour agreed that there was a “culture of retaliation” at Boeing, and said “when you address the quality issues, and that’s all I have done, I have not made it personal, then you get threatened.”

 

Remember Sam Salehpour has been at Boeing for 4 decades and it was also reported.

 

“Despite the alleged threats, Salehpour said he would return to work at Boeing after his testimony—and his job is currently protected by federal whistleblower laws.“

 

 

[The Theory]

15 hours ago, Social Media said:

Despite his persistent efforts to highlight potential safety hazards, Salehpour encountered resistance and was eventually transferred to a different role within the company—a move that appeared punitive in nature

Perhaps he will commit suicide before investigation ends 🤔 

[Georgealbert]

The story of the death of the other whistleblower John Barnett has gone quiet, but his burial was held on 16 March.

 

No coroner's report has yet been issued, but the police initial incident/investigation report is below.

 

https://www.fitsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/03/incident-2403740-redacted-j-barnett.pdf

His own lawyer has stated 'I don't think Boeing is behind his death'

 

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6349779483112

 

His lawsuit, filled in 2021, against Boeing continues despite death.

 

https://www.oalj.dol.gov/DECISIONS/ALJ/AIR/2021/BARNETT_JOHN_M_v_THE_BOEING_COMPANY_2021AIR00007_(FEB_04_2021)_163438_ORDER_PD.PDF?_ga=2.20379448.1032421132.1710272859-219920503.1710272859
 

https://www.oalj.dol.gov/DECISIONS/ALJ/AIR/2021/BARNETT_JOHN_M_v_THE_BOEING_COMPANY_2021AIR00007_(MAY_31_2022)_155742_ORDER_PD.PDF?_ga=2.258299402.1032421132.1710272859-219920503.1710272859
 

https://www.oalj.dol.gov/DECISIONS/ALJ/AIR/2021/BARNETT_JOHN_M_v_THE_BOEING_COMPANY_2021AIR00007_(NOV_17_2022)_164524_ORDER_PD.PDF?_ga=2.262126477.1032421132.1710272859-219920503.1710272859

 

 

 

[Georgealbert]

The Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, testified for 12 hours before his suicide. Here’s what he saw at the plane maker that alarmed him.

 

https://fortune.com/2024/04/24/exclusive-the-boeing-whistleblower-testified-for-12-hours-before-his-suicide-heres-what-he-saw-at-the-planemaker-that-alarmed-him/

[morrobay]

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, testified for 12 hours before his suicide. Here’s what he saw at the plane maker that alarmed him.

 

https://fortune.com/2024/04/24/exclusive-the-boeing-whistleblower-testified-for-12-hours-before-his-suicide-heres-what-he-saw-at-the-planemaker-that-alarmed-him/

This link is not accessible. Can you screenshot it ?

[Georgealbert]

1 hour ago, morrobay said:

This link is not accessible. Can you screenshot it ?

Can you access any of these links, both are shorter version of the Fortune story.

 

https://au.news.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-dead-whistleblower-warned-safety-210114034.html

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/68907597
 

 

[retarius]

Boeing's reputation is in tatters. As a kid I remember it was sky high with the 747. Superb engineering and safety. Now they don't give a funk about safety. 

[Farrows3399]

6 minutes ago, retarius said:

Boeing's reputation is in tatters. As a kid I remember it was sky high with the 747. Superb engineering and safety. Now they don't give a funk about safety. 

I suspect that software engineers have displaced aeronautical engineers. 

[Georgealbert]

Whistleblower Josh Dean of Boeing supplier Spirit Aerosystems dies of sudden illness.

 

“Spirit fired Dean in April 2023, and he had filed a complaint with the Department of Labor alleging this was in retaliation for raising concerns related to aviation safety.

 

Parsons said Dean became ill and went to hospital because he was having trouble breathing just over two weeks ago. He was intubated and developed pneumonia and then a serious bacterial infection, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA.”

 

https://archive.is/zOqdj

 

Before the conspiracies, remember.

 

In the case of John Barnett, the Boeing whistleblower, his testimony he was giving at the time of his death, was his appeal for his previously rejected defamation lawsuit against Boeing, and it was not related to any of his whistleblowing material. His testimony did not even claim to have new information, and his last testimony to Congress had concluded in 2019 and resulted in new FAA mandates which were implemented the same year at Boeings 787 facility.

 

Josh Dean, died of a common MRSA infection he got at a hospital, which many will survive, but not uncommon to die from it.

 

 

 

Edited May 2 by Georgealbert

[Red Phoenix]

Read somewhere that there is now at least one flight-finder site that provides the option to users to de-select any flights with Boeing aircraft. 

When an engineer that had specifically ordered a flight with a non-Boeing plane, was confronted with a last-minute change and was expected to board a Boeing, he refused and he was rebooked on a later non-Boeing flight with all extra expenses relating to that change being reimbursed.

It will take years if not decades for Boeing to regain the trust they squandered...

[Georgealbert]

47 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

Read somewhere that there is now at least one flight-finder site that provides the option to users to de-select any flights with Boeing aircraft. 

When an engineer that had specifically ordered a flight with a non-Boeing plane, was confronted with a last-minute change and was expected to board a Boeing, he refused and he was rebooked on a later non-Boeing flight with all extra expenses relating to that change being reimbursed.

It will take years if not decades for Boeing to regain the trust they squandered...

The problem for booking companies, is if the airline changes its flight/schedules or aircraft type.
 

What happens if the airline changes the plane on the day, due to delayed flights or maintenance issue, most insurance companies will not offer a refund in this case.

 

How many people are able to identify the type of aircraft they are flying, without looking at the safety leaflet in the seat? See picture below.

 

The Boeing engineer that got off a flight was Ed Pierson, and his issue was with just the Max aircraft.

 

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/02/26/former-boeing-employee-speaks-out-00142948

 

This was his recent senate hearing statement, last month.

 

https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/Pierson-Testimony-24.04.17.pdf

 

Do not disagree about Boeing reputation, but people have short memories, and airlines will continue to buy Boeing, as the market is dominated by Boeing and Airbus, and neither company can supply the current, yet future demands on there own.

 

https://flightplan.forecastinternational.com/2024/02/15/airbus-and-boeing-report-january-2024-commercial-aircraft-orders-and-deliveries/

 

Also do not expect the Chinese made Comac C919s, to offer any serious competition, this decade, as it has not even started the certification process to fly outside of China yet.

 

https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airlines-lessors/china-southern-airlines-joins-c919-club-100-aircraft-order#:~:text=China Southern Airlines has placed,in the Extended Range variant.

 

 

 

[Georgealbert]

Boeing faces 10 more whistleblowers after two die and pressure mounts on manufacturer: ‘People’s lives are at stake’
 

https://nypost.com/2024/05/04/us-news/boeing-faces-10-more-whistleblowers-after-two-die/

 

[morrobay]

Thanks for all the information on this. This Boeing company is out of hand. So what can be done. I know what should be done: summarily take a lot of management away.

[Georgealbert]

Boeing whistleblower John Barnett died by suicide, coroner rules, as autopsy report is released.

 

https://www.live5news.com/2024/05/17/charleston-police-release-investigation-report-boeing-whistleblower-death/
 

 

[Skipalongcassidy]

16 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Boeing whistleblower John Barnett died by suicide, coroner rules, as autopsy report is released.

 

https://www.live5news.com/2024/05/17/charleston-police-release-investigation-report-boeing-whistleblower-death/
 

 

suicide... better known as "death by hilary"

[Georgealbert]

16 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

suicide... better known as "death by hilary"

Sorry this thread deals was dealing with facts and details.

 

Please post a credible link to support your whack job, conspiracy theories

[Skipalongcassidy]

2 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Sorry this thread deals was dealing with facts and details.

 

Please post a credible link to support your whack job, conspiracy theories

It’s common now for radical activists to shut down all debate on issues with which they disagree or dislike. To silence truth.

[Georgealbert]

Just now, Skipalongcassidy said:

It’s common now for radical activists to shut down all debate on issues with which they disagree or dislike. To silence truth.

555555

 

How am I disagreeing with you or trying to silence the truth?

 

So you think I am a ‘radical activist’ when all I have done is post credible links and from multiple different sources, and only ask you to provide the same, but as expected you have provided nothing, just your own opinion on what you believe is reality.

 

Looking at your posts, you clearly suffer the Dunning and Kruger effect, and lack the intellectual capability to see how stupid your comments are.

 

Bye and have a good day, and try to find something more credible than the copy and paste nonsense you just posted. If you find a credible link post it and then you will get a sensible reply from me.

[Skipalongcassidy]

11 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

555555

 

How am I disagreeing with you or trying to silence the truth?

 

So you think I am a ‘radical activist’ when all I have done is post credible links and from multiple different sources, and only ask you to provide the same, but as expected you have provided nothing, just your own opinion on what you believe is reality.

 

Looking at your posts, you clearly suffer the Dunning and Kruger effect, and lack the intellectual capability to see how stupid your comments are.

 

Bye and have a good day, and try to find something more credible than the copy and paste nonsense you just posted. If you find a credible link post it and then you will get a sensible reply from me.

I neither want nor need a sensible reply from you... 555555