US watchdog criticizes FAA oversight of Boeing production

FILE PHOTO: A Boeing 737 MAX is pictured in Britain

(Reuters) – A federal watchdog on Friday criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight of Boeing airplane production, saying it does not have an effective system to oversee the planemaker’s individual manufacturing facilities.

The Transportation Department’s Office of Inspector General said in a report the FAA’s current audit processes “are not comprehensive enough to adequately identify key discrepancies and noncompliances within the Boeing production line” and said the FAA has not addressed longstanding weaknesses in Boeing’s oversight of suppliers despite long-known risks.

(Reporting by David Shepardson)