I can tell you what's going on over there at Boeing...DEI. Or as I like to call it, DIE. Diversity, Inclusion & Equity. Read this. If this doesn't send chills down your spine, you probably no longer have a pulse.
https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2022-04-18-Boeing-CEO-Message-on-Equity,-Diversity-Inclusion-Report
Boeing is doing an awful lot of outsourcing. That particular panel that blew off the plane mid flight could be traced back to a company called Spirit Aerospace. Here...this is one of the contractors that is putting together planes for Boeing.
https://www.spiritaero.com/company/...usion/international-women-in-engineering-day/
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But it's not just Boeing. A couple of years ago, United Airlines set a goal that 50% of their hires for pilots are to be women or people of color (if memory serves, they're actually coming in above that target at 70-80%). They are literally promoting flight attendants to pilot training (in at least once case they rehired a flight attendant that had been fired with the explicit notification that this person is never to return to United and put her into the pilot training program).
Let that sink in for a moment. No seriously. Let that marinate for a minute or two.
I honestly could not care less about the color of my pilots skin. It's the furthest thing from my mind. The only thing I care about, is that airline companies are hiring the best and most highly qualified pilots with the most amount of flight hours that they can get their hands on. Full stop. No other factors should be considered. EVER.
Presently, United is always pairing up their diversity hires with veteran pilots so that at least one person in the cockpit knows what they're doing and how to stay calm in case of emergency. But how many years do you think they have until the enough veterans have aged out of the system and the number of DIE hires make up a majority of the pilots they have on staff and the chances of having two midwits at the helm of the plane that humans are sitting in makes it all but a certainty? Flying in commercial aircraft either already is or will very soon be, no different from playing Russian roulette. And no, I'm not being hyperbolic.
If you hire on any criteria other than competency, you WILL get less competency. Probability? 100%.
I totally agree DIE is not good for anyone, it just reminds and reinforces the differences between people and cultures. In fact if there was no racism, sexism, <fill in the blank>ism there would be no need for DIE. I see programs that actually create more problems so they can get more funding, build their empire and get paid. It's much worse in academia and government. Also keep in mind that gender, color, whatever aside there are always people that don't perform.
In no way am I saying that there still aren't messed up people, companies and practices but they aren't as prevalent as the DIE people claim. There was a time when there was no possible way for a women or person of color to ascend the food chain.
However, this is not an engineering problem. The design calls out the materials and procedures to attach the door. The problem is the manufacturer didn't follow the procedure and/or use the correct materials. Which means it's most likely a low level worker that didn't follow directions. There are so many things that could have caused it. Union timers - the whistle blows and you put down what you are doing and go on lunch. Covid - Way too many people were absent and the people working were short handed, but still had schedules to fill. Stupidity - Self explanatory. Improper training, bad documents, they meant to go back to that... the list goes on for ever.
Lets hope they get it fixed and back in the air safely.