After problems with the Starliner spacecraft and problems with armament projects, Boeing is replacing the responsible division head.
Ted Colbert will be leaving the aircraft manufacturer, announced the new Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg in an email to employees. Steve Parker, who was previously responsible for operations, will take over the leadership on an interim basis.
The “Starliner” had recently made Boeing look bad. During the first flight with two astronauts, problems with the engines and helium leaks occurred. For safety reasons, the US space agency NASA decided to let the capsule return to Earth without people on board. It landed safely. However, instead of a short trip into space, astronaut Suni Williams and astronaut Barry Wilmore will now remain on the International Space Station (ISS) until February. They will then be picked up by the “Crew Dragon” spacecraft from Boeing’s competitor SpaceX.
Costs too high for “Air Force One”
Boeing’s defense and space division also has other problems. There are high cost overruns in converting two 747 jumbo jets into new aircraft for US presidents. The KC-46 tanker aircraft is also significantly more expensive than planned. The division posted an operating loss of around one billion dollars last quarter – and things are unlikely to look any better in the current quarter.
Ortberg took over the leadership of Boeing at the beginning of August. The aircraft manufacturer is in crisis after a series of mishaps. This year, an incident in which a fuselage part of a Boeing 737-9 Max broke off during a climb led to an increased focus on quality controls at the company. Production of the 737 and the long-haul jet 777 is currently blocked by a strike by Boeing’s largest union with 33,000 workers.
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Source: www.digitalfernsehen.de
