Air Force Officials Paid About 8,000% More Than They Should Have on Soap Dispensers for Aircrafts, Watchdog Finds

US Air Force C-17

The Air Force has been overpaying for basic soap dispensers for its aircraft fleet — to the tune of nearly $150,000 in extra costs, according to the Pentagon’s watchdog agency.

The Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) launched an investigation into the Air Force’s expenditures on spare parts for its fleet of C-17s, the military’s largest transport aircraft. The investigation report, released on Tuesday, found that not only had Air Force officials massively overpaid by hundreds of thousands of dollars for some spare parts, but spent 7,943 percent more than it should have on soap dispensers for restrooms on the aircraft, or “more than 80 times the commercially available cost.”

Read More

Boeing Union Strike to Pummel Workers and Shareholders, New Analysis Finds

Boeing Workers

The International Association of Machinists (IAM) union strike against Boeing is expected to result in a $1.05 billion loss for the company and its shareholders, as well as a significant loss for its workers and suppliers, according to an analysis by consulting firm Anderson Economic Group (AEG) released Thursday.

Boeing and company shareholders are set to lose an estimated $1.05 billion, with workers and suppliers losing $351 million from Sept. 13 to Friday due to the IAM union strike, according to AEG’s analysis of the company’s lost wages and shareholder earnings. The firm’s report does not estimate separate damages to consumers or customers for the first two weeks of the strike.

Read More

Troubled Boeing Spacecraft Returns to Earth Without Pilots on Board

Starliner

A Boeing spacecraft successfully returned to Earth on Saturday, without the pilots on board.

The Boeing Starliner has been plagued with technical problems since it was launched into space with astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore more than three months ago, essentially stranding the pilots in space. NASA and Boeing have been deliberating options as to how to get Williams and Wilmore home and decided to keep them in space for the time being rather than fly them home on the troubled return vessel, which successfully touched down in New Mexico on Saturday.

Read More

Airlines Launch Effort Backing Green Jet Fuel Tax Credit that Could Raise Food Prices for Americans

Plane at gate

A coalition of major airlines has formed a group supporting a tax credit pushed by President Joe Biden that experts say could jack up food prices.

More than 40 companies, including Boeing, American Airlines, JetBlue and United as well as ethanol trade groups, are pushing the federal government to “expand” existing tax credits for “sustainable aviation fuel” (SAF) and to pass legislation to increase the fuel’s availability, Axios reported. Corn-based ethanol is a common component in SAF and experts previously told the Daily Caller News Foundation that increasing the demand for corn by incentivizing its use in jet fuel could indirectly raise food costs for Americans.

Read More

Boeing Posts Massive Loss Following Slew of Safety Issues

Boeing Factory

Top jet manufacturer Boeing reported on Wednesday a net loss of $355 million in the first quarter after months of scrutiny over recent safety issues.

Operating revenue declined 8 percent year over year in the first quarter, from approximately $17.9 billion to $16.6 billion, with the company burning more than $3.9 billion in free cash flow in the time frame compared to $786 million a year ago, according to Boeing’s first quarter earnings report. Recent scrutiny of safety with Boeing products began in January after an Alaska Airlines flight had a door plug fly off mid-air, resulting in an emergency landing and an investigation into the company’s quality assurance.

Read More

Commentary: America’s Priorities Need to Change in Order to Protect Its Citizens

Illegal Immigrants

The horrific murder of Laken Riley by a repeated felony offender and illegal alien Jose Ibarra, 26, a Venezuelan citizen, was preventable—had federal immigration laws simply been enforced by the Biden administration.

When called out in his recent State of the Union address, President Biden referenced the deceased Ms. Riley. But Biden misidentified her as “Lincoln Riley”—the USC football coach!

Read More

Boeing Reports New Problem with 737 Fuselage

Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737

Boeing has discovered additional problems with its 737 fuselages, following a fuselage panel on one of its 737 Max 9s becoming detached last month during an Alaska Airlines flight.

The international aircraft maker said Sunday the new problem is related to drilled holes in the fuselage that were discovered by a supplier employee but is not an “immediate flight-safety issue.”

Read More

United Airlines CEO Says They Are Making Plans Without Boeing After Manufacturing Issues

United Boeing

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said Tuesday that the company is making a plan to move forward without Boeing after the manufacturing company grounded its MAX 9 planes, according to CNBC.

Boeing has suffered a series of problems in the last several weeks after multiple planes had major mechanical and structural errors, forcing the company to ground all Max 9 aircraft with door plugs. Kirby told CNBC that the decision to ground the aircraft was the “straw that broke the camel’s back” for United.

Read More