In 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) faced a surge in whistleblower complaints against Boeing, primarily triggered by issues with the 787 Dreamliner. Richard Cuevas, an airplane mechanic, raised alarm bells after witnessing substandard manufacturing practices at Spirit Aerosystems, a Boeing partner. He reported critical drilling and sealant problems on the 787’s forward bulkheads, which could compromise flight safety by affecting power and air pressure. Despite Cuevas’s efforts to raise concerns through proper channels, he was fired, sparking further controversy. Boeing has responded, claiming that investigations found no safety threats, but the saga continues to raise questions about Boeing’s handling of aircraft safety and whistleblowers’ rights.

The Federal Aviation Administration received more than eleven times as many Boeing whistleblower complaints in the first five months of this year as it did the whole year prior. The first rise in whistleblowers occurred in January, following the 737 Max mid-flight door plug blowout. The latest Boeing whistleblower was released on Wednesday, warning about the 787 Dreamliner.

Attorneys for Richard Cuevas, an airplane mechanic, and contractor for Boeing manufacturing partner Spirit Aerosystems, said in a statement on Wednesday that they filed complaints with the FAA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, alleging that the mechanic “witnessed substandard manufacturing and maintenance processes on the 787 forward bulkheads, including critical drilling and sealant issues.”

“Cuevas complained that these safety issues, if not addressed, could compromise power and air pressure on the planes, posing a serious public safety risk,” attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks of Katz Banks Kumin said in a statement.

He was sacked after raising these worrisome concerns, first with Spirit management and then with Boeing’s ethics department. A Spirit management informed him that his dismissal was a “sign of the times.”

The lawyers continued, “Our client witnessed critical issues with the forward pressure bulkhead assembly on multiple planes that deviated from Boeing’s specifications,” adding, “He recognized the substandard work and expressed concern about his safety concerns, but Spirit and Boeing failed to stop the faulty manufacturing processes. Mr. Cuevas was fired when his manager found out that an employee complained about these issues, and suspected that employee was Mr. Cuevas.” 

Here is an overview of Cuevas’ technical accusations (courtesy of his attorneys):

Mr. Cuevas’s complaints allege that Spirit made a range of manufacturing and assembly specification changes on the 787 forward pressure bulkhead without Boeing’s permission. These allegations are different from previously reported issues with the forward pressure bulkhead in 2021. 

Mr. Cuevas alleges that Spirit deviated from Boeing’s manufacturing specifications while drilling holes in the fasteners of the forward pressure bulkhead of 787s. Deviations from these specifications compromise the seal necessary to maintain air pressure during flight. Boeing requires fastener holes in this section of the plane to be drilled at .2475 inches, which provides a near-perfect “interference-fit” that best retains air pressure during flight. Instead of drilling at that size, Spirit workers were directed to drill holes using a .2495 drill bit, to clear excess paint from the holes and speed up a slow process. Mr. Cuevas alleges that this caused the interference fit to be compromised in Row 3 of these fasteners, which houses critical electrical components, risking power failure and depressurization in flight. Mr. Cuevas observed that Boeing conducted an unannounced inspection and identified 117 out of 200 improperly drilled holes on the bulkhead, but that it has yet to correct the issue. Mr. Cuevas witnessed these problems with three planes he worked on and believes that these issues may affect at least 10-12 planes either in production or already released to Boeing.

Mr. Cuevas also alleges that, because of the ethics investigation, Spirit had fallen behind schedule on its repairs, and therefore instructed workers to incorrectly apply sealants to the plane’s bulkhead fasteners. Usually, the first layer of sealant on this section of the plane requires approximately 168 hours to cure. On occasion, Mr. Cuevas witnessed only a two-hour gap between applying the first and second layers of sealant, which caused bubbles to form between the two layers, disrupting the needed torque to keep the fasteners in place. Boeing noticed this issue during its inspections on one aircraft and asked Spirit to reapply the sealants. Mr. Cuevas, however, fears that this and other issues, like the lack of an interference fit due to improper drilling, will go undetected on other planes.

Boeing responded to the complaint by telling the local newspaper Seattle Times that Cuevas’ concerns were investigated and that an engineering investigation “determined the issues raised did not present a safety concern and were addressed.”

“We are reviewing the documents released today and will thoroughly investigate any new claim,” Boeing said.

Boeing’s list of troubles appears to be rising constantly (from federal probes to Capitol Hill hearings, whistleblowers, and mid-air catastrophes). Sam Salehpour, a former Boeing engineer and one of the few living whistleblowers, alerted senators on Capitol Hill in mid-April to safety issues about the 787 and 777 aircraft.

Salehpour warned that the 787 Dreamliner fuselage was incorrectly assembled and that the business “rushed to address the bottlenecks in production.” He cautioned that the effect would be “premature fatigue failure” on these planes. He stated: “They are putting out defective airplanes.”

Meanwhile, in testimony before a Senate committee last week, outgoing Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun apologized for the company’s recent run of safety lapses.

Boeing shares have more than halved in value after reaching a high of $446 per share in early 2019, around the time of the twin Max 737 crashes that killed 346 people.

Boeing will finally address its difficulties. The planemaker’s imminent acquisition of Spirit is a strategic move aimed at bringing supply chains in-house, ultimately enhancing production quality. However, Boeing will face significant challenges in recovering passenger confidence.

Recently, GreatGameIndia reported that a whistleblower complaint by Sam Mohawk, revealed in June 2023, alleges that Boeing concealed defective parts from the FAA, installed some in new 737 planes, and lost track of others.