Boeing’s head of the 737 Max program is leaving the company, multiple outlets reported Wednesday, amid increased pressure from regulators and airlines on Boeing after 737 Max 9s were grounded last month shortly after the side of an Alaska Airlines plane blew open mid-flight.
A plastic sheet covers an area of the fuselage of the Alaska Airlines N704AL Boeing 737 MAX 9 ... [+]
Ed Clark, who led the 737 Max program since 2021, will be “leaving immediately” according to an internal memo from Boeing, the New York Times reported.
The leadership change comes after Max 9 planes were reviewed by the Federal Aviation Association for weeks following an incident on an Alaska Airlines flight in which part of the fuselage of a plane blew open midway through a flight from Portland, Oregon to California, leading to an emergency landing.
It was discovered the door on that flight had been missing bolts prior to takeoff, leading to the FAA announcing an investigation into Boeing’s manufacturing practices and production line.