our US correspondent ¹Andrew Wilson examines claims by two former ²auditors of Boeing

¹ And from what engineering school did "correspondent" Andrew Wilson receive his engineering degree(s) and on what date was he certified as an FAA approved compliance inspector (DER)?

² And for what purposes were audits by the "two former auditors" made, and did they have anything to do with part quality?

(If one looks at the other articles linked from the page, there's very little other than doom and disaster to read from there. It does make one wonder.)

It is not uncommon for parts with minor deviations from what's specified on the drawings to be used, "as is" or with corrective treatment. Every part produced in house or received from outside production vendors is inspected before issue to production, and every part for which a deviation is found is "written up" by inspection, and an Engineering Disposition is made.

Only designated Engineering Personnel certified as members of the "Material Review Board" have the authority at Boeing to determine corrective actions that may be made to allow use of a questioned part, or to determine and authorize that the "deviations" do not affect "form, fit, and function" of the part to permit use without modification.

All Engineering dispositions of deviant parts are reported to a "Designated Engineering Representive" (DER) certified by the FAA and specifically responsible to the FAA for assuring compliance with regulations. The DER does have the authority to challenge any Engineering (MRB) disposition of any part, and is obligated to report anything questionable directly to the FAA.

While the vast number of people involved in building an aiplane of this kind precludes any absolute assurance that procedures are followed in every case, so far as I've been aware the proper procedures are conscientiously followed, particularly with respect to disposition of any "deviation from print" that might affect safety.

If "correspondent Wilson" would like to provide the MRB stamp number of the Engineer who authorized the use of his "dangerous parts" I can probably look him up and ask for an explanation - if he/she is still alive(?). Barring that information, Mr Wilson goes in my category of another "babbling idiot" trying to sell a story.

I will admit that I intensely dislike flying in any commercial airplane for any purpose, but Boeing remains my "maker of choice" when/if I'm forced to. (I know too much about most of the others as well?)

John