Speaker A
Okay. In the video, you mentioned that a complete software update is being built with drift-independent certification.
John Fung addresses Boeing's software update, safety measures, and communication improvements following recent aircraft incidents.
Key Takeaways
- Boeing prioritizes safety with ongoing software updates and rigorous certification.
- Transparency and active communication with regulators and passengers are central to Boeing's response.
- Concrete support measures are in place for affected passengers to address fears and concerns.
- A cultural shift in communication aims to provide timely, direct, and analyzed crisis responses.
- Boeing accepts responsibility and is committed to restoring trust through action, not just words.
Summary
- Boeing is developing a drift-independent software update undergoing rigorous certification before deployment.
- The company maintains active, transparent communication with the FAA and public during ongoing investigations.
- Boeing acknowledges failures in testing and commits to a top-down review involving engineers and regulators.
- The ANS system sensor algorithm is identified as the cause of false commands, with all 797 aircraft grounded until fixed.
- Boeing has established a direct passenger support line, monthly progress reports, and personal follow-ups for affected passengers.
- Communication culture changes include immediate response post-incident, direct passenger engagement, and external crisis communication analysis.
- Boeing emphasizes transparency by sharing information with airlines like United, Delta, and Emirates to ensure passenger safety.
- Technical issues involve sensor-software interactions at low altitudes, with urgent advisory updates issued after data analysis.
- Boeing apologizes sincerely and pledges concrete actions to regain public trust and compensate affected passengers.
- The company commits to enhancing manual overrides and software to prevent future incidents and restore confidence.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
Can you give us any indication of when that update might be ready and whether you will recommend voluntary grounding in the meantime?
Speaker A
Yeah. So thank you for referring back to our video and asking follow-up questions. At this point right now, I do not have anything to advance for you in terms of the software updates. What is more important is that our
Speaker A
engineering team is working around the clock on the software updates, and as stated in the video, it will go through rigorous certification before it is ever deployed. And in the interim, we are having continuous and active
Speaker A
communication with the FAA, and we make sure that all our conversations during the investigation are transparent to the FAA, the regulators, all passengers, and the general public.
Speaker A
So if the FAA's investigation finds that the ANS certification process was insufficient, as an investor, I want to know how will that change Boeing's future aircraft launch?
Speaker A
Thank you for your questions. While we do not speculate on the final findings of the investigations, the point's principle is that we do not rely on the report to take immediate actions. Instead, we have already shared all the
Speaker A
information with the FAA to ensure absolute transparency. Moreover, we have initiated a top-down review of the entire testing. We fully recognize that we have failed to fulfill the expectations of the public and the
Speaker A
passengers. We are moving forward. We are committed to ensuring every aircraft doesn't just meet but exceeds every global safety standard. We will not rest until we have restored all public trust.
Speaker A
Before the Hong Kong disaster, there were already reports of uncommanded attitude changes. How many people have to be put at risk before you admit the gym is fundamentally unsafe, and why should passengers ever board this plane again?
Speaker A
Um, yeah, thank you for the question, and I hear the anger and the impression. When I watch the voice transcript of the flight, I feel sad as well, and I think no passenger should have experienced the aircraft plunging 5,000 feet without
Speaker A
warning. But the evidence now shows the airframe, the engines, and the battle system work as usual. So the problem is only limited to the ANS system sensors algorithm, and it generated false commands in very rare
Speaker A
situations. So we have grounded all the 797s worldwide until the ANS has been replaced and fixed. To answer your question directly, I think no one should have to participate.
Speaker A
So you said you are deeply sorry, but apologies for those who have been hurt before. Do you really think apologizing again is useful in this moment?
Speaker A
Yeah, thank you for your question. For those passengers who are affected by this incident and are still scared or angry, I hear you. Apology is useful, but it's definitely useful when it comes with concrete solutions. So here are the
Speaker A
three measures that we are carrying out to alleviate the anger and fear. Firstly, we have set a direct passenger support line. This line will be used to answer questions from every passenger. So we will be sure that we
Speaker A
can answer every passenger's concern in a timely manner. Secondly, we will publish a monthly progress report. This report will be signed by our chief safety officer, Jason. So everything is transparent and should be directly accessed through the company's website.
Speaker A
So there's nothing to hide. Thirdly, we will provide follow-up action and personal follow-up to those affected passengers, including what has happened, what we fixed, and what we will change in the future. We believe that apology opens
Speaker A
the door for communication, and action walks through it. These measures will definitely show that we are walking through it with empathy and accountability.
Speaker A
I want to ask, what actually changes in Boeing's communication culture, not only in this crisis but in the future?
Speaker A
Yes, thank you for your question. Being the head of communication, I can certainly answer your concern. Basically, after this incident, there are three main changes in terms of communication, and we usually call it the rule of three. Rule one, we will not
Speaker A
wait for the investigation to end before we respond. We will do everything we can to alleviate the fear or anger of our passengers immediately after the incident. To increase transparency in communication,
Speaker A
we will release the investigation report as soon as possible, maybe within 24 hours after the incident has happened. Rule two, the CEO and I try to address the concerns of the passengers not through generic
Speaker A
messages or mass messages, but we would like to directly address and contact those affected passengers. We want to show support and connect with our passengers more. Rule number three, we want to
Speaker A
provide an additional service by inviting an external communication analyst to analyze our crisis response statements to ensure that every time a crisis occurs, we can fully answer or fulfill the questions or concerns of our passengers. I hope this
Speaker A
addresses your concern. So you failed to spot the error in testing. Why should anyone believe that the top-down review is anything different?
Speaker A
Yeah, I truly understand the concern. In the previous test, we failed to meet the standards that the public deserves, and we take full responsibility for that. But this top-to-bottom review is different because we are opening our doors to
Speaker A
individual engineers and the FAA to double-check everything that we did. We are fully transparent to United, Delta, and Emirates to show them what we have done right now because they and their passengers deserve a safe flight and
Speaker A
total peace of mind. Can you tell us precisely what certain conditions trigger this software failure, and why did Boeing wait for an emergency landing on flight 801 before advising pilots to use manual overrides?
Speaker A
Okay, thank you for your questions. The first part is about the issue, and the second part is about the timing of our advisory. Regarding the technical issues, our safety team has already identified special interactions between the sensor data and the software
Speaker A
logic during low flight altitudes. We are already working around the clock with our independent engineers to resolve those issues. Regarding the timing of our advisory, safety is definitely our priority.
Speaker A
We have already implemented it, so I think that as soon as our data arrives, we move immediately to resolve and send the advisories to our operators. We lost this gap, demands urgent rebuild, and we are deeply sorry for the uncertainty that happened. We will not rest until we make this thing work.
Speaker A
Okay. Travelers are already posting on social media and canceling flights. What specific message do you have for those passengers who are now afraid to board?
Speaker A
So we completely understand why such fear exists, and thank you for raising it. To all passengers or to all those families who have boarded one of our flights,
Speaker A
on behalf of the board, on behalf of Boeing, we are truly sorry. Such accidents, including United 81, should never exist, and we will take full action to compensate those people. The board has made it very clear from our video as outlined by we will be compensated by concrete actions because words alone are not enough. We are walking the walk instead of just talking the talk. Apart from the concrete actions outlined by Ovidia,
Speaker A
we will have a top-to-bottom review. We will enhance the software update. We will enhance our manual override to all our systems. All these changes, all these efforts, all this hard work are made only for one reason. We want to regain and earn your trust. Dear passengers,
Speaker A
clear from our video as outlined by we will be compensated by concrete actions because words alone are not enough. We are walking the walk instead of just talking the talk. So apart from the concrete actions as outlined by Ovidia,
Speaker A
we will have a top to bottom review. We will enhancing the software update. We will have a uh we will have enhance our override manual override to all our systems. Uh all these changes, all these efforts, all these hard work are made
Speaker A
only for one reason. We want to regain and earn your trust. Dear passengers before the United States one pilot from Delta and Emirates report minor navigational inaccuracy why deploying not grindy dream after the first or second warning. I think this is
Speaker A
a fair and urgent question regarding the uncomforted mess important. I think this incident is labeled as a noises level of an anomalies and corrected immediately by the group and I think that's a failure of internal risk matrix. So we
Speaker A
have fired the head of flight safety and c all the incidents data. Um so why we didn't um uh grant the plane earlier and I think because we trust our initial data too much and this trust was uh uh
Speaker A
was uh mis misosed and we are now operated with the new uh ANS system and such change will be work on the uh all Boeing flight soon representing the FAA I want to know that if the pilots on flight 801 has trouble,
Speaker A
why should we believe that many override are enough to keep people out people safe? Now, yeah, that's a fair question for the on the flight one the software send a wrong command and when a pilot take over it,
Speaker A
we know that it should never happen. But the reason why we believe that manual override will be enough for solving the issue is that we provide clear and specific instruction for all crew members on the flight on how exactly
Speaker A
override I the software overpass the software when we need when their software is malfunctioned and it can imagine that it like a safety dialogue. Pilot will have full control of the fight until the software have overpassing the gap of the malfunction
Speaker A
and is only proactive and temporary action for now. We our team and my premier personally are working around the clock to solve all the problem to make all the software pass the strict certification before it's ever filed. We
Speaker A
are trying our best to regain public trust. Thank you. Okay. Uh if the FAA decided to run the entire J stream fleet, what is Bo contingency plan and how will the board support the airline during that period?
Speaker A
Yeah, of course we recognize the seriousness of the accident and the issue and such accident is unacceptable in the future even for right now. So uh I think what is more important to understand is that we are working as
Speaker A
true partners uh with the um with with Emirates with United and also with other airlines to have a footh investigation and also we are navigating with them to negotiate for appropriate operational and financial assistance. And to circling back to your previous question,
Speaker A
uh should we fully comply with FAA? The short answer is yes because we will fully comply with the regulators and we will fully comply with whatever directive they they have sent us. Yeah.
Speaker A
Yes. Let me add on the point of that Moses said I will say that we would strictly follow the instructions of the FAA is our company's obligation and even if even though there is no such obligation we will still work work hard
Speaker A
to maintain the safety for our passengers protect and our pilots.
Topics:Boeingsoftware updateaircraft safetyFAAANS systempassenger supportcrisis communicationaviation incidentflight safetyaircraft grounding
