jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

There's a very good video about Boeing and its change of focus from making planes to making money. Coincidentally (?), after no one at Boeing was found to be liable, the chief prosecutor went to work for Boeing's law firm. That's not mentioned in this video, though. And the case was settled with a deferred prosecution agreement — an agreement that Columbia Law Professor John Coffee at the time called — “one of the worst deferred prosecution agreements I have seen.”
https://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/lead-boeing-prosecutor-joins-boeing-corporate-criminal-defense-firm-kirkland-ellis/

This is an excellent channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDEkH0zd3F8

gmontjr2350 Loc: Southern NJ

Vulture Capitalism will ruin our industries (more so than they already have)
I worry for my grandchildrens' future.

George

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

And that corporate focus hasn't changed with Boeing's Starliner billions over budget, years behind schedule and yet to have carried a human even a foot off the ground. Each launch, with a one-time-only rocket will cost us something like 4 billion dollars and every government agency that's looked into the situation, said this boondoggle is completely unsustainable. I believe this was one of those sweetheart "cost plus" contracts where Boeing was guaranteed a profit regardless of how long it took and how much it cost. Yeah, someone was really looking out for the taxpayer with this one.

f8lee Loc: New Mexico

While of course folks at Boeing need to be held to task for the crashes of the 737MAX, I wonder why nobody at the FAA, who must have approved the plane for flight, has been similarly held responsible. Seems gub'ment bureaucracies are immune to taking responsibility for their actions.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Most government agencies let the companies test their own products - planes, drugs, nuclear power plants. That was one problem with this Boeing mess. Boeing approved the plane. Government agencies generally just make recommendations, giving the companies years to comply - if they want to. It's rare for a government agency to come down hard on a company. The people who run the companies can literally get away with murder.

Boeing started going downhill when it merged with McDonald-Dougles. The head of M-D took over, and his goal was to cut costs and increase profit. He was very successful. Boeing's stock shot up, he got huge bonuses, and the millionaire stockholders got richer. Then, it hit the fan.

I watched a video last night about a disastrous mine explosion with many deaths. Although the owners had done everything they could to cut costs and ignore safety features, a lengthy investigation found that their actions and inactions caused the explosion and the deaths. Their penalty? Pay a fine.

Canisdirus

about Boeing and its change of focus from making planes to making money....

Ummm...it's always been about coin.

Nigel7 Loc: Worcestershire. UK.

I recommend on Netflix the documentary "Downfall. The Case Against Boeing". You'll choose Airbus for your future flights after seeing that.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yeah, I think I saw that.

One thing I learned watching crash investigations is that it's good to avoid iffy airlines, many foreign airlines, old planes, bad airports, flying during the winter, flying at night, etc. For the "good ones," you take your chances.

Shaun Loc: Tucson, AZ

This really hurts to see a great company go downhill like this. During my flying career I accumulated around 34,000 hours of flying with a good portion of this in Boeing 707's, 720B, 320C and 727 aircraft and had the utmost confidence in these beautiful machines. I flew them into military bases in Viet Nam (320C's of Continental Airlines)) in the 60's and into small Micronesian airfields with short runways with water at both ends during the 80's (727 100 and 200 with Continental Air Micronesia) and marveled at the reliability of Boeing Aircraft. We used to say, "if it's not Boeing, I'm not going". Not anymore.

fantom Loc: Colorado

you said it all.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The 747 was my favorite.

fantom Loc: Colorado

There was a time when I thought I was logging more hours sleeping on a 747 than in my own bed.
A great plane

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

Agreed.
It's called "Private Equity" now. Same thing,
It's not what you did anymore, it's what you got away with,