In this episode of Warning Bells, Foundation for Aviation Safety’s Ed Pierson and Randy Klatt examine how leadership—or the lack of it—shapes aviation accident investigations. Drawing lessons from recent tragedies, including the Air India Flight 171 disaster, they discuss the crucial role of integrity, humility, and accountability in uncovering the truth. The conversation highlights the inherent conflicts of interest when manufacturers and regulators investigate their own products, the danger...

Episode 29: Have 737 MAX Lessons Been Learned?

In June of 2018, warning bells went off for Ed Pierson, a Senior Manager at Boeing's 737 Factory. The production environment he helped oversee was becoming increasingly chaotic, leading to worrisome lapses in quality and safety. Months later, when two Boeing 737 MAX aircraft crashed in separate incidents, killing over 300 people, Pierson took action as a whistleblower, determined to shed light on the potential role played by production defects. Today, as a leading safety advocate in aviation, Pierson continues to push Boeing and Federal authorities to fully investigate and fix the 737 MAX. Join him as he discusses the latest safety-related news; chats with a fascinating array of whistleblowers, safety experts, policymakers, and business leaders from around the globe; and explores how all of us can keep our communities safer by heeding our own warning bells.