Boeing's issues continue to rattle US aviation regulator

NEW YORK — The US Federal Aviation Administration, sharply criticized after the crashes of two Boeing planes in 2018 and 2019, is again being dragged into a maelstrom surrounding the major US aerospace manufacturer.

The dramatic midflight blowout on Jan 5 of a fuselage panel on an Alaska Airlines plane precipitated the departures of a series of top Boeing officials — including chief executive Dave Calhoun, who is set to step down at the end of the year — and the reduced production of the 737 MAX.

However, as Boeing faces multiple inquiries and audits in the United States and abroad, it has repeatedly assured critics that it is working "with full transparency and under the oversight" of FAA regulators.