An aircraft technician has contacted the American civil aviation regulator FAA to warn about possible assembly and maintenance errors in Boeing 787 aircraft. However, the American aircraft manufacturer claims that the problems have already been resolved.
Technician Richard Cuevas worked for Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing’s primary subcontractor, according to his attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks. As part of his work on repairing Boeing planes, the whistleblower said he observed practices that did not meet quality standards.
For example, employees are said to have made too large holes in part of the fuselage of the long-distance aircraft, which, according to Cuevas, could lead to electrical breakdowns or pressure problems during a flight. The whistleblower says he has identified shortcomings in at least three aircraft and believes that at least ten to twelve aircraft may be involved.
Dismissed
Cuevas also found other misconduct and says he reported it to Spirit AeroSystems and Boeing, but it went unaddressed. Cuevas was fired in March 2024, saying he was fired because his supervisor suspected he had complained.
Boeing said it launched an investigation after receiving information from a subcontractor employee and addressed issues raised “which did not pose a safety risk.”