Austin News

At a recent Senate Commerce Committee hearing titled “Safety First: Restoring Boeing’s Status as a Great American Manufacturer,” senators pressed Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg on the company's implementation of its safety and quality improvement plans. The hearing focused on the steps Boeing is taking to incorporate a safety-first culture in its manufacturing processes.

Senator Cruz addressed the issue of public trust, questioning whether travelers could trust Boeing. He stated, “Mr. Ortberg, what can you say here to the millions who will board a Boeing plane this year, to the millions who will put their children on the plane?...What can you say to the flying public as to why they should trust that a Boeing plane is safe?”

In response, Ortberg emphasized the safety of Boeing’s operations: “Senator, the Boeing aircraft 737 MAX airplanes take off and land every two seconds of the day. Safely take off and land every two seconds of the day...We need to take immediate action, and we are taking action to make sure those accidents never, never happen again. My family flies on those aircraft as well. And it’s critically important that we rebuild trust."

Senator Fischer raised concerns about production delays caused by the implementation of Boeing's safety plan. Ortberg responded, “So, Senator, just to be very clear, we won’t ramp up production if the performance isn’t indicating a stable production system… I suspect it’ll be some time this year.”

Senator Blackburn expressed concerns over Chinese competition, specifically mentioning COMAC. She asked about Boeing's innovation strategies to remain competitive. Ortberg highlighted investment in future projects: “We have to stay competitive. We have to invest in the future of our company. We’re investing in new versions of the MAX aircraft...and...our 777X program.”

Talk of artificial intelligence arose when Senator Young asked about its integration into Boeing’s processes. Ortberg explained, “...we’re using those large language models right now to enhance our assembly instructions and our documentation…we’re doing data analytics as well using AI algorithms.”

Lastly, Senator Schmitt inquired about Boeing’s supply chain management. Ortberg outlined their efforts: “So as a part of our safety and quality plan, that also includes our supply chain…We have a thousand activities underway -- or, a thousand vendor engagements underway right now to improve their overall performance and safety and quality of the deliveries from our supply chain.”

The hearing offered a platform for Boeing to detail its ongoing efforts and reassure stakeholders of its commitment to safety and quality in aircraft manufacturing.