'My Bad': Boeing’s $24 Billion-Dollar Blunder

Good morning! Thanks for bearing with me last week during my move, but I’m happy to report I’m officially back in the great state of Montana. Boxes are put away (mostly), rooms are organized (sort of) and my family and I couldn’t be happier to call the Treasure State home once again! Speaking of which, if you own an airplane in the mountain west or are ever flying into Bozeman, please reach out — I’d love to film a video of it for my YouTube channel ✈
-Rob Roy

In today’s email:

• Boeing Is in Deep Doo-Doo (again)

• Upcoming Airshows

• Around the Skies: Wheels Up lays off 11% of pilots, Captain “Sully” Sullenberger Aviation Museum opens, MojoGrip seeks buyer for flight school, Bose Replaces Stolen Headsets for D-Day Squadron

• PilotTube: A Dad takes his daughter on her very first flight 🥲

• For the ‘Gram: “He made that airplane so cheap for me, I couldn’t help but buy it…”

• Aircraft For Sale: New to market

THE BUSINESS OF AVIATION

Boeing’s $24 Billion-Dollar Blunder: The Saga Continues

In a plot twist straight out of a corporate thriller, Boeing has landed itself in some serious legal and regulatory hot water recently. The U.S. Department of Justice is gearing up to charge Boeing with fraud, citing that the company casually ignored a $2.5 billion settlement related to the infamous 737 MAX crashes. This has spurred crash victims' attorneys to demand eye-watering penalties, including criminal prosecution for former executives and fines that could rival the GDP of a small country at $24 billion. The DOJ's sternly-worded letter calls out Boeing for dropping the ball on safety and compliance, obligations it had solemnly sworn to uphold.

Adding insult to injury, the National Transportation Safety Board has thrown the book at Boeing for what they describe as "blatantly" flouting terms of an agreement in the investigation of the 737 MAX 9. This not-so-minor “slap on the wrist” points to continuing worries about Boeing's commitment to transparency and adherence to safety protocols. It seems Boeing has been on a misstep marathon, with a string of cover-ups and mismanagement that have systematically eroded the trust of regulators, airlines and the flying public alike.

All these debacles spell a tough road ahead for Boeing as it scrambles to patch up its crumbling reputation in the aerospace industry. The company is under intense pressure to clean up its act, tighten safety standards and regain some semblance of credibility. The ongoing legal and regulatory skirmishes underscore the dire need for solid oversight and accountability in the aviation sector, with stakeholders loudly clamoring for justice and real change following the tragic 737 MAX disasters.

For more context, I highly you recommend you watch the 2022 Netflix documentary “Downfall: The Case Against Boeing” as well as the recent Homeland Security Committee hearing when Senator Josh Hawley grills Boeing CEO David Calhoun for seven minutes straight.

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UPCOMING AIRSHOWS

July
July 3: Dubuque Riverfront Airshow - Dubuque, IA
July 3: Anderson Regional Airshow - Anderson, IN
July 3-7: Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival - Battle Creek, MI
July 4: Fair St Louis - St. Louis, MO
July 6: Thunder Over Cedar Creek Lake Air Show - Mabank, TX
July 6-7: Greater Binghamton Air Show - Johnson City, NY
July 6-7: CWHM RCAF 100th Celebration - Hamilton, ON
July 6-7: Los Angeles Airshow - Los Angeles, CA
July 13: America's Freedom Fest - Goshen, IN
July 13: Pensacola Beach Air Show - Pensacola Beach, FL
July 13: Boundary Bay Airshow - Delta, British Columbia
July 13-14: Wings Over Whiteman - Whiteman AFB, MO
July 13-14: National Warplane Museum Airshow - Geneseo, NY
July 13-14: California Capitol Airshow - Sacramento, CA
July 13-14: Yellowknife Airshow - Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
July 14: Iosco County Fly-In Breakfast - East Tawas, MI
July 19: Rock The Ramp Airshow & Fly-in - Middleton, WI
July 19-20: Nebraska State Fly-In and Airshow - O'Niell, NE
July 20: Gandy Dancer Fly-in & Airshow - Siren, WI
July 20-21: Cold Lake Air Show - Canadian Forces Base, Cold Lake, Alberta
July 20-21: Arctic Thunder Air Show - Anchorage, AK
July 20-21: Thunder Over Michigan - Ypsilanti, MI
July 20-21: Pistons and Props - Janesville, WI
July 22-28: EAA AirVenture - Oshkosh, WI
July 22: Family, Fun, and Flight - Medicine Hat, Alberta
July 24: Wings Over Warren - Warren AFB, Cheyenne, WY
July 26-28: Grande Prairie Regional Air Show - Grande Prairie, Alberta
July 26-28: Tri-City Water Follies - Kennewick, WA
July 27-28: Fargo Airshow - Fargo, ND
July 27-28: Milwaukee Air & Water Show - Milwaukee, WI
July 27-28: Springbank Air Show - Springbank, Alberta
July 31: Snowbirds Over Duluth - Duluth, MN

August
August 3: Williston Basin Airshow - Williston, ND
August 3-4: Rochester International Airshow - Rochester, NY
August 3-4: Boeing Seafair Air Show - Seattle, WA
August 3-4: Great State of Maine Air Show - Brunswick, ME
August 3-4: Manitoba Airshow - Southport, MB
August 9-11: Abbotsford International Airshow - Abbotsford, BC
August 10: Valentine Airshow - Valentine, NE
August 10: Will Rogers Fly-In - Oologah, OK
August 10-11: Wings Over Muskegon - Muskegon, MI
August 10-11: New York Air Show - Montgomery, NY
August 10-11: Vanderhoof International Airshow - Vanderhoof, BC
August 10-11: Chicago Air & Water Show - Chicago, IL
August 11: OCIA Air Show - Waterford, MI
August 14: Atlantic City Airshow - Atlantic City, NJ
August 16-18: Alberta International Airshow - Edmonton, AB
August 17: Coles County/Mattoon Airshow - Mattoon, IL
August 17-18: Gary Air Show - Gary, IN
August 17-18: Westmoreland County Air Show - Latrobe, PA
August 17-18: Pikes Peak Regional Airshow - Colorado Springs, CO
August 17-18: Bremerton Air Show - Bremerton, WA
August 17-18: Props and Pistons Festival - Akron, OH
August 17-18: Wings Over Camarillo - Camarillo, CA
August 21: Frecce Tricolori Airshow - Norfolk, VA
August 22-24: Airshow of the Cascades - Madras, OR
August 24: Wings Over Wheeling Air Show - Wheeling, WV
August 24: Wings & Wheels Airshow - Hot Springs, VA
August 24-25: Ocean City Air Show - Ocean City, MD
August 24-25: Frontiers In Flight Air Show - McConnell AFB, Wichita, KS
August 24-25: Defenders of Freedom Air & Space Show - Omaha, NE
August 24-25: Air Show Atlantic - CFB Greenwood, NS
August 31 - September 1: Wings Over Batavia - Batavia, NY
August 31 - September 1: Fly Iowa - Clarinda, IA
August 31 - September 2: Oregon International Air Show - McMinnville, OR
August 31 - September 2: Cleveland National Air Show - Cleveland, OH
August 31 - September 2: Canadian International Air Show - Toronto, ON

September
September 3: Friends of Hartzell Airshow - Piqua, OH
September 7-8: Aero Gatineau-Ottawa Airshow - Gatineau, QC
September 7-8: Community Days - Lititz, PA
September 7-8: CAF High Sky Wing AIRSHO - Midland, TX
September 7-8: Lake of the Ozarks Air Show - Camdenton, MO
September 7-8: Warbird Roundup - Nampa, ID
September 7-8: Osceola Wheels & Wings Fly-In and Airshow - Osceola, WI
September 14-15: Owensboro Air Show - Owensboro, KY
September 14-15: Sound of Speed Open House & Air Show - St. Joseph, MO
September 14-15: Airshow London Skydrive - London, ON
September 14-15: Green Mountains Aviation Field Days - South Burlington, VT
September 14-15: Show Me State Airshow - Jefferson City, MO
September 14-15: Flight 4 CF - Beverly, MA
September 15: Ocean City Boardwalk Airshow - Ocean City, NJ
September 20-22: Great Bend Airfest - Great Bend, KS
September 21: Lake Cumberland Air Show - Somerset, KY
September 21: Northwest Illinois Airshow - Freeport, IL
September 21: Central Coast Airfest -Santa Maria, CA
September 21: Snowbirds Over Sault Ste Marie - Sault Ste Marie, ON
September 21-22: NAS Oceana Airshow - NAS Oceana, Virginia Beach, VA
September 21-22: Wings Over Columbus - Columbus AFB, MS
September 27-29: MCAS Miramar Air Show - MCAS Miramar, San Diego, CA
September 27-29: Wings Over Water - Seacliff Beach, Windsor, ON
September 28: Madison Air Show - Madison, IN
September 28: Spanish Fork Wings & Wheels - Spanish Fork, UT
September 28: Leesburg Air Show - Leesburg, VA
September 28: El Reno Fly-In & Community Day - El Reno, OK
September 28-29: California International Airshow - Salinas, CA
September 28-29: Wings by the Wabash - Robinson, IL
September 28-29: Bowmanfest - Louisville, KY
September 28-29: Thunder Over Fayette County - Somerville, TN

AROUND THE SKIES

Wheels Up announced it has laid off 11% of its pilots, primarily King Air crew members, due to a “staffing imbalance” caused by reduced pilot attrition rates. This marks the first time the company has laid off pilots, reflecting broader industry challenges and the need to align staffing with fleet size amidst significant financial losses.

It has been more than 15 years since 155 people were rescued from the Hudson River after US Airways flight 1549 struck a flock of geese, forcing an emergency landing on the water. Everyone on board survived, largely in part because of the actions of Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger. A new museum named in his honor revisits that day.

Mike Ojo, of the YouTube channel MojoGrip, is selling his flight school in Winston-Salem, NC. If you or someone you know might be interested in buying it, please send him an email at [email protected]. You can watch the video he made on his decision to sell, here.

Bose recently donated five A30 aviation headsets to the D-Day Squadron after their equipment was stolen in the UK. This flying group is dedicated to honoring WWII veterans by maintaining and flying historic aircraft used during the D-Day invasion. “Bose recognized the importance of our mission and stepped forward to provide replacements,” said Tim Savage of Western Airlines DC-3, with Vintage Flying Machines. Attaboy Bose!

PilotTube

“The thing about the Cub is, it's a vintage aircraft, it's loud, it's drafty, you can't see much and it's tandem seating, so it is a bit more intimidating than, say, a 172. What makes the Cub intimidating to a child is also what makes it so magical when they first get up. The smiles and pure joy on my girls' faces are priceless.”

“This is what makes flying in your personal aircraft with your kids so much fun. It's general aviation at it's best. They literally reach out and touch the sky and are able to experience flight in one of the purest forms, in a vintage taildragger. The hope is that all four of my daughters learn to fly, but at this stage, I just want to introduce it to them and get them comfortable with flying with me.”
-Joe Costanza

For the ‘Gram

northernstarsaeroteam

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AIRCRAFT FOR SALE - NEW TO MARKET

Looking for a budget family-hauler? This 1964 Piper Cherokee 140 could be the ticket! Extensive restoration completed in 2023; upgrades include: overhauled propeller, magnetos, carburetor and main gear struts. New fuel quantity transmitters, fairings, hoses, and lines. Retouched paint, added LED landing lights, navigation and tail lamps. Stratus ADS-B in/out & power, extensive avionics/panel rework. 5560 hours TT, 2235 SMOH and 220 hours since top end overhaul and cylinder replacements.

• Asking Price: $75,000 OBO

• Location: Ft Lauderdale, FL

This 2018 Super Petrel LS is in immaculate condition and is powered by a Rotax 912IS with only 130 hrs. It’s a 100 HP fuel-injected amphibian light sport aircraft that comes with a full Garmin suite. 580 lbs useful load for land and water operations. Delivers maximum fun on minimum fuel fuel burn at 4 GPH, providing 6 hours of range with 24 usable gallons of either MOGAS or 100LL. Meticulously maintained and available now; Scoda no longer builds the LS, but offers full factory support for decades. According to the broker, this model is very rare and will hold its value for many years.

• Asking Price: $160,000

• Location: Daytona Beach, FL

This professionally flown 2003 Cirrus SR22 has had the same owner for last 15 years and has been maintained by a Cirrus Service Center. Parachute and annual completed January 2024 with new paint in 2018. 2317 TT, 355 hours on the engine and prop. Leather seats are in excellent condition, while the plastic shows normal wear of a 20-year-old airplane.

• Asking Price: $289,400

• Location: Sacramento, CA

This 1927 Waco Model 10 is sure to have the best ramp appeal of any airplane on this week’s list! 2609 hours of total time and is powered by a Continental W670 with 236 SMOH. Cleveland brakes, Narco 810 com, PS Engineering 1200 intercom, King 76A Transponder and no ADS-B out. Long list of spare parts included; fresh annual May 2024.

• Asking Price: $109,000

• Location: Sevierville, TN

This impeccably maintained and phenomenally equipped 2019 Gulfstream G280 boasts over $2.6M in factory options. New brakes, new tires and fresh “Permagard” paint protectant are just a few bonuses of this turn-key aircraft. Remaining factory warranty, no damage and Gulfstream-only maintenance. Available for 3-5 year lease or outright sale.

• Asking Price: $21,495,000

• Location: Palm Beach, FL

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