A former Boeing employee has taken on the mission to ground the 737 Max jets after a recent scare in the skies. The aircraft, infamous for its past tragedies, was in the headlines again when a flight bound for Ontario International Airport from Portland had to return after losing its door plug mid-air, reported FOX4 Beaumont. This incident rekindled fears and doubts over the model which had previously been grounded for nearly two years following two fatal crashes.
Despite a rigorous inspection process and clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration, skepticism remains. The former Boeing Senior Manager, Ed Pierson, has emerged as a vocal opponent of the FAA's decision to let the planes fly again. According to KOMO News, Pierson stated, "I mean a lot of attention has been given to the Alaska Air accident, rightfully so. Clearly, there's serious problems there, that allowed something like that to happen." His distrust in the current state of Boeing's planes has him resolved not to set foot on one.
Pierson, now the Executive Director at the Foundation for Aviation Safety, continued his critique in an interview, saying that in January alone, there have been "at least three or four serious incidents on 737-8 airplanes." He emphasized the gravity of these incidents occurring on new planes not long in service with the airlines. "What's causing it," he questioned in a statement obtained by KATU.
As the debate over the safety of the 737 Max continues, Pierson's foundation is poised to release a statement recommending that all 737 Max planes be immediately grounded, inspected, and repaired if necessary. This uncompromising stance highlights the ongoing struggle to rebuild trust in a tarnished aviation brand. "I mean, that's what people have to understand is if you know, you have a plane that's basically, hasn't been at the airlines long enough to go through any kind of serious maintenance, you have these issues," Pierson told FOX4 Beaumont.
