Boeing Accelerates 737 Production as Quality and Safety Culture Thrives
By Dan Catchpole
SEATTLE () – Boeing anticipates stabilizing the monthly production rate of the 737 MAX at around 38 aircraft over the coming few months, according to Doug Ackerman, Vice President of Quality for Boeing’s Commercial Airplanes division, who shared this information with journalists on Tuesday.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration limited production to 38 aircraft per month following a mid-air panel separation in a relatively new 737 in January 2024.
Before then, the monthly output of its top-selling aircraft fluctuated between 10 and 30 units; however, Boeing faced multiple crises and scandals that severely impacted its financial health, stretched employee morale thin, and drastically eroded public confidence.
Following a loss of almost $12 billion last year, the American aircraft manufacturer must boost 737 production to generate additional revenue.
The firm is expected to manufacture around 38 of these sought-after single-aisle aircrafts this month, according to two individuals privy to the situation. When reached out for confirmation regarding the production volume for May, a representative from Boeing chose not to remark.
The Boeing CEO, Kelly Ortberg, formerly stated that the corporation must demonstrate its capability to sustain production at that rate for an extended period before petitioning the FAA to remove the restrictions.
Once operations run efficiently, the firm plans to restart efforts towards incorporating a fourth production line, according to Ackerman.
According to Boeing’s annual report from the Chief Aerospace Safety Officer, released on Wednesday, the company has been consistently advancing across all six production quality and safety indicators established by both Boeing and regulatory bodies.
According to the report, safety concerns reported by employees through the company’s Speak Up reporting system increased by 220% from 2023 to 2024.
The continuous modifications are making the program increasingly efficient, according to Chief Aerospace Safety Officer Don Ruhmann during the media briefing held on Tuesday.
For instance, safety concerns are now assessed by managers from different departments who are more inclined to remain unbiased, instead of those who supervised the task at hand.
Boeing is employing machine learning to identify quality issues within its supply chain before they escalate into larger problems. Although the method is still being refined, Ackerman noted that Boeing has observed statistical connections between certain data points and an increased probability of supply chain complications.
(Reported by Dan Catchpole from Seattle and Allison Lampert from Montreal; Edited by Kirsten Donovan)