Former Boeing Pilot Expected to Face Prosecution in 737 MAX Probe

Conrad

Conrad

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www.marketwatch.com

Former Boeing pilot expected to face charges in 737 Max investigation

Federal prosecutors plan to criminally charge a former Boeing Co. pilot they suspect of misleading aviation regulators about safety issues blamed for two...
www.marketwatch.com www.marketwatch.com

Federal prosecutors plan to criminally charge a former Boeing Co. pilot they suspect of misleading aviation regulators about safety issues blamed for two fatal crashes of the 737 Max, according to people familiar with the matter.

Mark Forkner, who was Boeing’s 737 Max chief technical pilot during the aircraft’s development, is likely to face prosecution in the coming weeks, these people said. In his former role, Forkner served as the plane maker’s lead contact with the Federal Aviation Administration for how airline pilots should be trained to fly the new jet.

It couldn’t be learned what formal charge or charges Forkner might face. Boeing BA, -0.41% admitted in a criminal settlement reached with prosecutors earlier this year that two of its employees — unnamed in that agreement — conspired to defraud the FAA about 737 Max training issues in order to benefit themselves and the company.

A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment. Boeing declined to comment.

An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
 
Bit more info on this guy

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Pressed by the Justice Department, Boeing turned over a series of emails and shocking instant message exchanges between Forkner and his deputy, Patrik Gustavsson, in which Forkner bragged about how he had “jedi mind tricked” airlines into choosing the minimum pilot training option — and so avoided the need for extensive training of pilots on full flight simulators that would make the MAX a more expensive and less competitive airplane.

To pull that off, Forkner persuaded the FAA in March 2016 to omit any description of MCAS from the pilot manuals, arguing that it would activate only in extreme circumstances — as he said in an email, “WAY outside” normal flying conditions.

Forkner actively worked to the same end with regulators around the world, whom he disparaged in private messages as “fools” and “idiots.”

Tragically, Forkner even dissuaded Lion Air officials who wanted to train their pilots on MAX simulators that this was “a difficult and unnecessary training burden for your airline.”

He mocked the Indonesian airline representatives for their “stupidity” in asking for such training and boasted that his efforts to dissuade them had saved Boeing “a sick amount of $$$$.”


jalopnik.com

Former Boeing Pilot Expected To Be Charged Over Misleading Regulators About 737 MAX Safety: Report

The Boeing 737 MAX is fixed and flying safely, but the fallout from two crashes that killed 346 people isn’t over for Boeing. According to a recent report, its former Chief Technical Pilot for the MAX program may be facing criminal charges for misleading regulators.
jalopnik.com jalopnik.com
 
Last edited:
NovemberEcho said:
Bit more info on this guy

“
Pressed by the Justice Department, Boeing turned over a series of emails and shocking instant message exchanges between Forkner and his deputy, Patrik Gustavsson, in which Forkner bragged about how he had “jedi mind tricked” airlines into choosing the minimum pilot training option — and so avoided the need for extensive training of pilots on full flight simulators that would make the MAX a more expensive and less competitive airplane.

To pull that off, Forkner persuaded the FAA in March 2016 to omit any description of MCAS from the pilot manuals, arguing that it would activate only in extreme circumstances — as he said in an email, “WAY outside” normal flying conditions.

Forkner actively worked to the same end with regulators around the world, whom he disparaged in private messages as “fools” and “idiots.”

Tragically, Forkner even dissuaded Lion Air officials who wanted to train their pilots on MAX simulators that this was “a difficult and unnecessary training burden for your airline.”

He mocked the Indonesian airline representatives for their “stupidity” in asking for such training and boasted that his efforts to dissuade them had saved Boeing “a sick amount of $$$$.”


jalopnik.com

Former Boeing Pilot Expected To Be Charged Over Misleading Regulators About 737 MAX Safety: Report

The Boeing 737 MAX is fixed and flying safely, but the fallout from two crashes that killed 346 people isn’t over for Boeing. According to a recent report, its former Chief Technical Pilot for the MAX program may be facing criminal charges for misleading regulators.
jalopnik.com jalopnik.com
Click to expand...

Say what you want about management or culture but I have 0 sympathy for this guy if he was really doing business like this.
 
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