shooters from the media.

shooters from the media, such as an editorial in the Washington column questioning the company's commitment to safety, may be leaving Boeing [BA] officials feeling like Gen Edward Braddock in 1755 whose round pillars of advancing redcoats were decimated on Indians firing from behind tree in the surrounding forest-lands (see ASW, Nov. 8).

A spate of new reports contained headlines like, "Boeing: Another Day, Another Problem" Jim Hall, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, was quot criticizing the company's cultivation and its "statistical" approach to aviation safety. Sen Charles Grassley (R Iowa) was mentioned for his blast at Boeing for not promptly forwarding to TWA 800 crash investigators a 1980 research of fuel tank flammability.

The loudest projectile may have been fired through Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist Pat Oliphant, whose Nov. 3 cartoon appeared in newspapers nationwide. It is reprinted here for a number of reasons. Oliphant is a renowned mainstream political cartoonist; on addressing the issue of air safety, his cartoon points abroad how quickly the issue can become a big story. Indeed, Oliphant's cartoon lampoons the dedication to safety of a corporate icon. As of that kind it represents a major image question at issue for a respected aerospace company.

Note Oliphant's trademark little bird in the lower right corner, looking quizzically at a set free nut on the factory floor. A not many days after the cartoon appeared, Boeing officials revealed that missiles on the tail assemblies of an 767 aircraft had not been tightened sufficiently at the factory (although, becoming to structural redundancy, Boeing officials discounted the apparent break in the chain of quality assurance as a safety-of-flight issue). The under-torqued dart problem had "no connection" to the Egyptair accident airplane, a 767 a Boeing official declared.

More newly Boeing announced that air conditioning ducting in production aircraft may also feature the same gelatine that is the problem in the cockpit drip shields in succession 747, 757, 767 and 777 airplanes. Regarding this bit of bad recents Boeing said:

"Fire-worthiness examples conducted late last week by the agency of Boeing and witnessed by the FAA showed that near insulation materials on ECS (environmental check system) ducts in the 737 Classic, 747 757-200 and 767 did not engage require-ments. Solutions have been identified which will restorative the problems before deliv-ery...Boeing calculate upons minimal impact on delivery schedules and is working with the FAA to address the in-service fleet...Boeing has not ident-ified any inservice accident or incident associated with these materials and they are not considered an immediate safety concern"

As if that weren't all, The Herald newspaper of Everett Wash., reported Nov. 11 that debris had been institute in the fuel tanks of newly-delivered airplanes. of that kind debris can present a potential ignition source for firing vapors. A Boeing official said "integral fuel-tank integrity" classes for production workers began at the period of October. Still, it was even now another drop in the downpour of unflattering coverage.

Despite Boeing's worthy efforts at opennes and damage curb the Oliphant cartoon still stings. A Boeing official remarked sourly, "Only Oliphant can explain what he means through it. However, his statement is a disservice to the Boeing employee who have an 83-year history of contributing to aviation safety."

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