US oversight of Boeing airplane production inadequate, watchdog says

A federal watchdog on Friday criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight of Boeing airplane production, saying it did not have an effective system to oversee the US plane maker’s individual manufacturing facilities.

The transportation department’s office of inspector general said in a report the FAA’s current audit processes “are not comprehensive enough to adequately identify key discrepancies and noncompliances within the Boeing production line” and said the FAA has not addressed longstanding weaknesses in Boeing’s oversight of suppliers despite long-known risks.

Boeing’s corporate troubles continue to mount as it fails to resolve a strike by workers, struggles to win back industry faith over some of its planes and systems after a series of crashes and incidents and had to bring back its spacecraft from the International Space Station while leaving its astronaut crew behind because of safety concerns.

More details soon …

Reuters contributed reporting