The US Office of Special Counsel has told lawmakers that Federal Aviation Administration safety inspectors, including some working on the Boeing 737 MAX, were not sufficiently trained.
The OSC was alerted to the problem by a whistleblower and says the allegations were subsequently substantiated by the FAA’s Independent Office of Audit and Evaluation (AAE).
It said the findings call into question the operational review of several aircraft, including the Boeing 737 MAX and Gulfstream VII.
It has also claimed in letters to US President Donald Trump and members of Congress that its findings contradict FAA testimony to a Senate committee that inspectors who worked on the 737 MAX were qualified.
The FAA told the Senate Committee, on Commerce Science and transportation on April 4, 2019, that “all of the flight inspectors who participated in the Boeing 737 MAX Flight Standardization Board certification activities were fully qualified for these activities.”
The OSC said the safety inspectors participate in Flight Standardization Boards, which were responsible for ensuring pilot competency by developing training and experience requirements.
“The FAA is entrusted with the critically important role of ensuring aircraft safety,” said Special Counsel Henry J. Kerner. “The FAA’s failure to ensure safety inspector competency for these aircraft puts the flying public at risk.”
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The AAE determined 16 out of 22 safety inspectors, including those on the Seattle aircraft evaluation group, had not completed formal training.
It also found 11 of the 16 undertrained safety inspectors did not have certified flight instructor certificates, which were a basic position requirement.
“Based on information provided by the whistleblower and material obtained via an ongoing investigation, this also included safety inspectors assigned to the 737 MAX,’’ the OSC said in a statement.
“According to the whistleblower, the unqualified inspectors administered hundreds of certifications, known as “check rides”, that qualified pilots to operate new or modified aircraft.’”
However, the FAA said it remained confident in its representations to Congress and in the work of its staff.
“Aviation safety is always our foremost priority and we look forward to responding to the concerns that have been raised,’’ it said in a statement.
“All the Aviation Safety Inspectors who participated in the evaluation of the Boeing 737 MAX were fully qualified for those activities.”
