Whistleblower 'would not' put family on Boeing jet
By James FitzGerald
Boeing is expected to face criticism at a US Senate hearing from a whistleblower who says he feared its planes could fall apart mid-air.
Engineer Sam Salehpour told NBC News he had raised concerns about the 787 Dreamliner, which Boeing dismissed.
The company is under scrutiny after a number of safety incidents, including a mid-air panel blow-out in January.
But it has sought to defend its practices, and says it is co-operating with the Senate inquiry.
Salehpour discussed the alleged safety issues with the 787 Dreamliner in an interview with NBC ahead of Wednesday’s hearing.
He said he feared the plane could simply “drop to the ground” unless manufacturing issues were addressed. He referred to gaps between components that emerged during the plane’s assembly.
Asked if he would put his own family on one of 787s, he responded: “Right now, I would not.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating Salehpour’s claims, which were first reported last week by the New York Times.
