Section 103 Organization Designation Authorizations (ODA) for Transport Airplanes Expert Panel Review Report (26 February 2024)

Summary

This report contains the findings and recommendations of the Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) Expert Review Panel formed under Section 103 of the 2020 Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act (ACSAA). Reporting to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Congressional committees of jurisdiction, the Expert Panel reviewed the safety management processes and their effectiveness for each holder of an ODA for the design and production of transport aeroplanes.

Content

Key findings of the Expert Panel

• There is a disconnect between Boeing’s senior management and other members of the organisation on safety culture. Interviewees, including ODA Unit Members (UM), also questioned whether Boeing’s safety reporting systems would function in a way that ensures open communication and non-retaliation.
• The Expert Panel also observed inadequate and confusing implementation of the five components of a positive safety culture (Reporting Culture, Just Culture, Flexible Culture, Learning Culture, and Informed Culture).
• Boeing’s Safety Management System (SMS) procedures reflect the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the FAA SMS frameworks. However, the Boeing SMS procedures are not structured in a way that ensures all employees understand their role in the company’s SMS. The procedures and training are complex and in a constant state of change, creating employee confusion especially among different work sites and employee groups.
• There is a lack of awareness of safety-related metrics at all levels of the organisation; employees had difficulty distinguishing the differences among various measuring methods, their purpose, and outcomes.
• Boeing’s restructuring of the management of the ODA unit decreased opportunities for interference and retaliation against UMs, and provides effective organisational messaging regarding independence of UMs. However, the restructuring, while better, still allows opportunities for retaliation to occur, particularly with regards to salary and furlough ranking. This influences the ability of UMs to execute their delegated functions effectively.
• The Expert Panel also found additional issues at Boeing that affect aviation safety, which include inadequate human factors consideration commensurate to its importance to aviation safety and lack of pilot input in aircraft design and operation.