Boeing whistleblower has waited a decade for change, now expects to leave

For senior Boeing engineer and whistleblower Martin Bickeböller, a 37-year career at the jet maker is coming to a frustrating end.

For a decade, in complaints filed internally at Boeing as well as with the Federal Aviation Administration and Congress, Bickeböller documented significant shortfalls in Boeing’s quality control management at suppliers that build major sections of the 787 Dreamliner.

The FAA substantiated his claims in complaints in 2014 and 2021 and required Boeing to take corrective action. His latest complaint, submitted in January, alleges Boeing has not properly implemented the fixes it committed to after those earlier complaints.

Bickeböller doesn’t point to a single safety issue but rather to a systemically flawed oversight process.

He asserts that Boeing lacks control of the manufacturing processes at its suppliers to the extent that it cannot ensure — as safety regulations require — that every plane delivered meets design specifications.

Separately in January, Bickeböller filed an aviation whistleblower complaint with the U.S. Labor Department alleging that Boeing has retaliated against him.

He claims Boeing sidelined him from his central work and penalized him with lowered performance reviews.

Bickeböller, 66, earned his doctorate in theoretical nuclear physics at UW. He joined Boeing in 1987 and rose to become a technical fellow, designating him a top company engineer.

His expertise at Boeing and his central concern is what’s called “configuration control” — which means guaranteeing that any jet delivered to an airline is built exactly as designed with all parts installed correctly.