- CEO Jim McNerney said that the 5-foot rip in the roof of a Boeing 737 was due to a “workmanship issue” in a single plane. “The initial data that I think we’re all seeing is suggesting a possible workmanship issue on an airplane rather than a design issue across a fleet of airplanes.” It appears that the holes drilled in the plane’s skin were too big for the rivets and were not properly lined up. Other experts do not agree, and believe the problem is unlikely to be a single plane, and more likely to be more widespread.
- Boeing reports that its Vigilare network centric command and control system has passed its last formal operational test. Testing of the system took place at Royal Australian Air Force Base Williamtown’s Eastern Regional Operations Centre from March 28 to April 8.
- In other Boeing news, Piloted by Captains Keith Otsuka and Ron Johnston, with Ralph Chaffin serving as system operator and Greg Lichneckert as flight analyst, the second Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental RC021made a three-hour, twenty-minute flight. This was its first flight, the beginning of 600 hours of flight testing.
- In response to today’s ruling by Federal District Court in the Central District of California, overturning California Senate Bill 990, a state law governing the cleanup of Santa Susana Field Laboratory, a former federal government rocket engine and energy testing facility in southern California:
“We are pleased that Federal District Court agreed that the cleanup of Santa Susana should not be treated differently from the cleanup of other sites in California. “We look forward to continuing our ongoing work with the state to clean up the site under the comprehensive Consent Order issued in 2007. We will apply the same standards to Santa Susana that are applied to cleanup sites throughout the state in a manner that also ensures protection of the invaluable natural and cultural resources for future generations. Boeing intends to continue to clean up the site to a suburban residential standard, more stringent than would be required for its future use as open space.”Boeing has met every obligation of our 2007 cleanup agreement with the state, and we will continue our discussions with the state Department of Toxic Substances Control so that we can move toward the goal of cleaning up Santa Susana in the most expeditious manner, which is in the best interest of the public and the state of California.”
Gol Transportes Aereos flight G3-1025 made an emergency landing at Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 15th.
Cathay Pacific flight CX-888 had to divert and make an emergency landing in Seattle, Washington, on February 4th.
Germania Airlines flight ST-3356 made an emergency landing in Erfurt, Germany, on September 22nd.
Ryanair flight FR-7347 had to return and make an emergency landing at Henri Coanda International Airport, Romania, on February 9th.