Boeing’s 70-Year Journey: A Chronology of Achievements and Challenges

Boeing, established in 1916, has navigated through significant milestones and setbacks over its extensive history in aviation.

On May 14, 1954, Boeing, now a leading name in commercial aerospace, introduced its inaugural commercial jet-powered passenger aircraft, the Model 367-80 prototype, at its Renton Field plant near Lake Washington in Washington state, where jetliners are still made today.

The 367-80 was retired on January 22, 1970, but not before its technology was harnessed to develop the iconic 707 model and the highly successful 737.

Boeing Model 367-80 prototype [Al Jazeera]

The aviation industry was initially hesitant about jet technology due to cost and noise concerns. However, successful test flights of the 367-80 showcased advancements in speed and altitude, easing these fears.

This paved the way for Boeing's 707, launched in 1957. Pan Am began regular 707 flights on October 26, 1958, marking the acceptance of jet airliners in the industry. Preceding the 707, propeller-driven planes were the mainstay of commercial air travel.

Boeing’s 737, introduced in 1967, became the most commercially successful aircraft in history.

In recent years, Boeing has faced multiple technical issues. A Boeing 737 carrying 85 people recently caught fire and veered off a runway in Senegal, injuring 10 people, including the pilot. Additionally, a Boeing 767 cargo plane had to make an emergency landing due to a front landing gear problem.

Last week, Boeing had to delay the launch of its new CST-100 Starliner capsule due to an issue with a rocket valve.

Here’s a timeline of some significant moments in Boeing’s history:

A century in the air – some of Boeing’s highs

Residents collect debris at the scene where Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed [Jemal Countess/Getty Images]

World War I

Founded as Pacific Aero Products Co by William Boeing in 1916, the company was renamed Boeing Airplane Co in 1917 after the US entered the war. Boeing provided Model C trainer planes to the US Navy, designed a new patrol “flying boat,” and produced 50 Curtiss HS-2L seaplanes for the Navy.

In 1917, Boeing also made the first US-designed and built bomber plane, the Martin MB-1, which had its maiden flight that year.

World War II

During WWII, Boeing made bombers, including the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-29 Superfortress. The B-29s, Enola Gay and Bockscar, were used to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, causing massive casualties and long-term radiation effects.

Launch of the 737 airliner

In 1967, Boeing introduced the 737 series, which would become the best-selling commercial jetliner in history, with nearly 12,000 built.

The moon landing

During the Apollo program, Boeing built the Saturn V rocket in 1967, which was used for the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, landing astronauts on the moon.

Boeing, the billion-dollar company

In 1956, Boeing made $1bn in sales for the first time. The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1978 and is currently valued at $109.5bn.

Which fatal crashes have involved Boeing planes?

Lion Air crash, 2018

On October 29, 2018, Lion Air Flight 610, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, crashed into the Java Sea 13 minutes after takeoff from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Indonesia. All 189 people on board were killed. An investigation revealed a design flaw and other issues.

Residents collect debris at the scene where Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed in a wheat field just outside the town of Bishoftu, 62km southeast of Addis Ababa on March 10, 2019 [Jemal Countess/Getty Images]

Ethiopian Airlines crash, 2019

On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, another Boeing 737 MAX 8, crashed near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, six minutes after takeoff, killing all 157 people. The same technical issue found in the Lion Air crash was also identified.

Due to concerns about a faulty sensor, the 737 MAX was grounded globally. This sensor caused the Manoeuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) to continually tilt the plane downwards, leading to dives. The FAA cleared the 737 MAX to fly again in November 2020 after the issue was fixed, though critics heavily denounced Boeing's safety measures.

What incidents involving Boeing planes have happened this year?

Alaskan Airlines door panel blowout, January

In January, Alaska Airlines flight 1282, a Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet, experienced a door panel blowout, causing rapid decompression and necessitating an emergency landing at Portland International Airport. Some passengers had minor injuries. The FAA immediately grounded the 737 Max 9.

This photo released by the National Transportation Safety Board shows a gaping hole where the panelled-over door had been at the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, on January 7, 2024, in Portland, Oregon [National Transportation Safety Board via AP]

The event ignited conspiracy theories, heightened by the deaths of two Boeing whistleblowers in the past three months.

John Barnett, a quality control engineer at Boeing for more than 30 years, was found dead in March 2019 with a gunshot wound and a suicide note in his truck in a South Carolina hotel car park.

Two weeks ago, Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems, died of a staph infection that swiftly developed into pneumonia.

Air Senegal plane skids off runway, May

In May, a chartered Air Senegal Boeing B737-300 skidded off a runway before takeoff at Dakar's Blaise Diagne International Airport. Eighty-five people were on board; at least 10 were injured. Images showed the plane's damaged wing and deployed emergency slides.

FedEx flight makes emergency landing, May

On May 8, a Boeing 767 cargo plane from FedEx made an emergency landing in Istanbul after its front landing gear failed. No one was injured, and the crew evacuated successfully.

Corendon Airlines plane has burst tyre, May

In Turkey, 190 people were safely evacuated from a Boeing 737-800 belonging to Corendon Airlines after a tyre burst during landing at Gazipasa Airport.

Boeing Starliner launch halted, May

Boeing postponed the maiden crewed flight of the CST-100 Starliner space capsule on May 7 after discovering a valve issue. The launch was halted two hours before liftoff.

INTERACTIVE_BOEING_STARLINER_MAY6_2024 -1714990395 — (Al Jazeera)

Is Boeing’s safety record being investigated?

Boeing has faced 32 whistleblower complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the US over the past three years.

US air safety officials are also investigating if Boeing employees falsified inspection records for the 787 Dreamliner.

Sam Salehpour, a former Boeing quality engineer, raised safety concerns about the 787 Dreamliner during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing. He claimed that Boeing's shortcuts in manufacturing might reduce the airplane's safety and lifespan.

Boeing denied these claims, stating that they are "fully confident in the 787 Dreamliner."