From Design to Certification. Blog 7

My Boeing Days – From Design to Certification

 

 

Boeing 737-800 Flight Simulator.  ^##  

My Boeing Days – From Design to Certification

Blog 7 of 10

This blog gives a brief of the process from the system design to the FAA certification.  It is not that the exact process is followed on every airplane program or for every system change. Additionally, the process described here is for the Flight Management Systems (FMS) as well as the autopilot system.  This process flow changes when structural changes are needed.  Manufacturing has its own set of complex processes. The objective is to give a glimpse of the complexity involved in the process of designing or modifying the FMS and the autopilot system .

System Design

There are multiple reasons why new aircraft designs are created:

•   New airplane programs are announced every few years to meet market demands

•    New engines developed by manufacturers necessitate design changes in some systems

•    Boeing continuously adds functionality to improve passenger safety and comfort on existing airplanes

•    Airline pilots suggest new features or report issues during discussions with Boeing 

The engineering design group proposes new functionality based on problems, needs, requirements, and suggestions from various airlines. Engineering shares and discusses designs with interested airlines to refine the system. This is how the new system design is created. 

System Design: Adversaries to Collaborators

The best way to develop a good system design is to have two independent groups work on design aspects. At Boeing, these groups would meet to promote their designs by highlighting advantages. Discussions were often heated, with voices heard outside conference rooms. Even after meetings, the groups argued like staunch opponents. 

The Final Design Meeting 

At the end of the initial design phase, a final meeting with all managers present would last for hours discussing the pros and cons of each design. Agreement was reached on certain aspects, with the best features from both designs accepted. The outcome was always the optimal possible design.

Culture of Collaboration

Surprisingly, at the end of these meetings, both groups behaved amicably. They continued cooperating happily until the next design phase review. This ability to set aside differences, abide by final decisions, work together toward a common goal, and make designs successful was integral to Boeing's culture.

Vendor Role

Boeing selects specialized vendors to produce FAA-approved systems. Boeing Engineering develops top-level designs in coordination with airline customers and vendors. After finalization, the design is sent to the vendor, who creates low-level design documentation for software programmers.  The programmers write even lower-level code design documents and finally the code itself. The new design is simulated for a large number of conditions.  Once found satisfactory, the new design is sent to the vendor.  The vendor then develops the Red Label software box and sends it to Boeing for lab and flight testing.  Once the Red Label box is available, the next step is to conduct simulations to test the design and improvise it.

From Design to Simulation in Hybrid Simulation Lab

Boeing's hybrid simulation lab (HSL) was in a large open area. It had long benches with multiple computer terminals. Software engineers used those terminals to connect with a large mainframe computer. In those days, it was a novelty to print big posters using a computer printer. What caught my attention was a poster about 2 ft by 20 ft long. It was on computer printout paper with small holes in the ends for holding in the printer spooler. The paper had a typical one-inch-thick light green band separated by a white band of equal size. The poster read, "If civilization were built the way programmers write programs, it would have collapsed in one day."

 

Computer Printer Paper

Photo by: David Swart

Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

Source: Wikimedia 

Flight Simulators: Stationary and Motion Cabs

Boeing has sophisticated cockpit simulators ranging from stationary to motion 'cab'. A cab is a cockpit area with all instruments connected to a computer. A cab is short for a cabin. Each cab looked exactly like the cockpit. It has all real instruments hooked up to a simulator. Thus, it has hardware driven by very complex software. That's why it is called a hybrid simulation. There is also a provision to bring flight computer boxes from an airplane and plug them in to recreate scenarios similar to the ones experienced by any real flight.

Cabs that do not move are called stationary cabs or S-Cabs for short, and the ones with motion are called M-Cabs. The M-Cabs could move in 5 or 6 directions of motion.

 

 

Boeing 737 flight simulator.

Photo by: Sergei Sobolev

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

Source: Wikimedia

Boeing Flight Tests and the FAA Certification 

This is followed by flight tests using the red label box. Major design changes often require one or more meetings with the FAA during the system development to ensure that there were no surprises or misunderstandings before certification.

After the flight tests and data analysis, approval is obtained from the Boeing pilots as well as from the engineering design head.  Then it is flight-tested by the FAA. Once the FAA team is satisfied with the system and airplane performance, the final certification is issued by the FAA.

^## Photo by: Frank Schwichtenberg, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0, Source: Wikimedia

 

Henri Peter-Contesse, Epitome of Integrity. Blog 6

The Boeing 747 prototype ‘City of Everett’. This airplane is presently located at the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington. The first test flight of this prototype was on 9 February 1969. It is named after the City of Everett, Washington where Boeing manufactures commercial airplanes.

First Impressions

During my first few months at Boeing, I met a legendary engineer, Henri Peter-Contesse. When we met, he told me that he was from Switzerland and his last name was hyphenated. He was a very soft-spoken, tall, slim individual in his late 50s. He had a calendar from Switzerland next to his desk. The calendar had pictures of various trains from Switzerland going through the Alps. Henri always admired the design of the Swiss train compartments that always remained horizontal despite going through a very hilly and rocky terrain.

Experience vs. Youth

I was just a young kid around the corner who was from the computer era. I was full of energy but foolish when it came to aero-plane design. I was 30 years younger than him but always thought I knew a lot. On the other hand, Henri had worked on the propulsion, aerodynamics, and flight controls of the first 747. The aircraft in the picture in this blog was the one that Henri worked on. He had done all the calculations using his 'computer' that no one could guess the name of. The computer was a 'slide rule'.

A Lesson in Humility

I remember one day Henri told me to do some complex calculations. As usual, I wrote a computer program to do it. I ran the program for different conditions and came up with results. I showed the results to Henri and did not expect to do anything over and above. However, Henri looked at the numbers, went into his usual thinking trance, and then said, "Vinay, your numbers are not correct". As a typical computer-era kid, I responded, "I have checked my program. The program is correct." Henri calmly told me to check my program one more time. What a shame! I found a mistake in the program. Henri's knowledge of systems, tolerances, gains, performance, and all associated parameters was impeccable. My admiration of Henri went up many folds. Little did I know that my admiration of Henri would soon grow leaps and bounds.

Vision and Persistence

One day, one of the senior engineers told me a story dating back to the late 70s. Handling the aircraft under turbulent conditions has always been a very important topic of research. Henri was working on it for several months if not years. After a lot of hard work, Henri came up with a System. He went to his manager and showed him the design and rationale behind such a system. His boss was not convinced. More funding for further research was turned down. Henri continued to do more analysis and thought experiments. He was convinced even more. Thus, he went back to his manager and asked for more budget. Henri was again turned down. This continued for a while. Finally, his boss thought of giving Henri some budget for testing and implementation on the actual airplane. The system development was making good progress. The progress continued, and the FAA certified the system for the 747-200. Henri's boss was very happy. He reported to his bosses about the brilliant work Henri had done. The higher-ups were happy. They held a small ceremony to honor Henri for the system design and implementation. The system was now put on commercial flights to suppress oscillations and improve passenger comfort.

The Challenge of Real-World Testing

Systems that counter gusts or turbulence are very difficult to design. Additionally, testing these systems is challenging because the weather conditions that trigger oscillations are hard to find. Testing involves flying an airplane through these elusive conditions, making it difficult to evaluate the systems properly.

I remember once we were testing the onboard system for wind shear. We got a call from the Colorado Springs control tower that they were witnessing medium turbulence. We immediately took off from the Boeing Field in Seattle and headed to Colorado Springs, hoping to fly through medium to heavy turbulence. However, by the time we reached over there, the turbulence had subsided.

Analyzing the Data

When Henri’s system was flying on commercial flights, it became easy to get the test data. Whenever the aircraft experienced medium to heavy turbulence, the system behavior was recorded. Since Boeing has a tie-up with many airlines, they exchange in-flight data. This type of data started coming back to Boeing. Henri started analyzing it.

After analyzing many such data sets, Henri realized that the system was not doing its job. It was as if no system was installed. The system was not causing any detrimental effects. The presence of the system was not a safety issue. But it was just that it was not performing at all and adding to the dead weight.

Integrity Above All

Henri was disheartened. His conscience was very clear. He went and met his manager. Henri told the manager that the system was not doing the job. Based on what was told to me, I imagined the conversation to have taken place something like this.

The manager asked him, "So what do you want me to do?". Henri, "I would like to have the system taken off from the commercial flights because it is not doing what it is supposed to do. It is a dead weight impacting the fuel efficiency of the aircraft". Manager, "Do you know how hard it was to convince the bosses to get the budget? We got that done for the program. We had a ceremony celebrating the system's success, and now how can I go back?" Apparently, the manager was not convinced in the first few rounds of discussions with Henri. However, finally, the manager reported that the system was not working, and it was taken off the airplane. It takes a special person to return a medal, admit that he didn't deserve the award since the system wasn't working, return the medal, and obey his conscience.

A Legendary Legacy

People like Henri Peter-Contesse are few and far between. To such scientists and engineers, truth is what matters. Individual gains have no relevance. Science is above pride, ego, prestige, and honors. They will defend the truth at any cost. Henri was certainly a legendary engineer; one hardly gets a chance to meet such great minds, let alone a chance to work with them. Above all, he was the epitome of integrity.

Early Life and Passing

Henri was born in 1924. He was raised in Neufchâtel, Switzerland. Henri passed away in 2023 in Bellevue, Washington.

 

A Way to Safer Airplane Designs. Blog 5

 

My Boeing Days

 Blog 5 of 10

Photo: 747, JAL, Near Mt. Fuji.

 

Starting at Boeing with a New Assignment

Soon, all newcomers were assigned tasks. My job was to conduct the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) for the autopilot system on the 747-300. The 747-flight control system is triple redundant, meaning that if one computer fails, another takes over, and if the second fails, the third will take over. Conducting the FMEA involved a lot of repetitive calculations.

Seeking Efficiency: The Quest for Better Computing

By nature, I am lazy when it comes to repetitive tasks. I always try to find ways to use automation or computers to perform repetitive tasks quickly, allowing me to focus on tasks that require thinking. There were two HP9830 computers in the group. After repeated requests, one was assigned to me for four hours a day. The computer was so slow that one calculation used to take about an hour. It had a small cash register-type printer, and the result was printed on that paper. There was a one-line display that was hardly visible and readable. Soon, I got frustrated with it too. There were no other computers to be seen anywhere in the building where I was sitting.

Discovering the Computer Room

One day, my friend Ed and I were coming back from lunch. Someone had mentioned a computer site in another building, so we decided to check it out. When we went there, we saw a big computer room kept in a special temperature-controlled environment. The whole thing looked like a set from a Star Wars movie. We talked with the site coordinator to ask for permission to work there. He asked us to get a form filled out by our manager. We immediately completed all the formalities and started working there. Now, my program was running in 30 minutes instead of 2 to 3 days!

The Critical Autopilot Project

I was working on a very critical part of the autopilot program. In those days, the 747 autopilot landing was not perfected. On simulators, the airplane sometimes deviated from the runway and landed on grass. It was very important to fix the design as soon as possible and get certification from the FAA for the new autopilot systems. According to FAA rules, the failure rate should be below 10^-9, i.e., one catastrophic failure in a billion landings. The old design did not meet the criteria.

Discovering a Mistake: The Importance of Integrity

I started coming up with the failure rates under various conditions. These results were presented in multiple meetings, and long discussions were held on design improvements. During one such meeting, Jack, the second-level manager, made a side remark that for a specific condition, the failure rates seemed to have improved considerably. I heard that, and it made me feel uneasy. If it is too good to be true, is it true?

Every other week, Jim repeated his message loud and clear: "When you design an airplane, remember your spouse, your children, your parents, your family, your friends, and many others who are going to fly on that airplane that you are designing. Their safety is in your hands." The message was ingrained in us. I had to go back and check my numbers.

Confronting the Error: A Test of Character

After the meeting, I rushed back to my desk. It was lunchtime, but first things first—I had to check the numbers. I did, and I found a mistake. I did not know where it was happening, but I was sure that the numbers presented in the meeting were wrong. Without thinking anymore, I rushed to my lead engineer's desk.

Pete was having his lunch. "Pete," I said. "Yes?" he replied. "I have made a mistake in my numbers," I told him. Pete was neither alarmed nor curious to find the mistake. Instead, he said, "So what do you want me to do?" "Would you please inform Jack that the numbers are wrong?" I requested. I was following the chain of command and not trying to bypass anyone. Pete laughed. He said, "Do you know how Jack shouts and screams at people?" I interrupted him and said, "But Pete, the numbers are wrong. I can't keep others in the dark. I have to inform Jack." "Ok," murmured Pete. "You do what you want. I'm not coming."

A Culture of Openness and Forgiveness

Jim's words had made a strong impression on me. I could not push my mistakes under the rug. I didn't think twice. I rushed to Jack's office. Jack was eating a sandwich with his left hand and working with his right hand. "May I come in?" I asked. Jack nodded. I went in. "The numbers that you saw today for the failure rates are wrong. I have made a mistake," I said. Jack's response was unexpected. "So, when can you give me the new numbers?" I told him that in two hours he would have the numbers. Later, I found that in my program I had swapped the labels for graphs.

I was very relieved by the way Jack responded. His response ensured that if I made mistakes in the future and informed the management, I would be forgiven. This is the best way to ensure that the safety of the airplanes is prioritized. To err is human; to forgive ensures openness. Openness, in turn, leads to better design and airplane safety.

Years Later: Another Test of Management's Support

About seven years later, one of our team members, Andy, was assigned a task that required an IBM PC. In those days, PCs were not easily available. Our group did not have the budget to purchase them; however, a neighboring group did. When Andy wanted to use their PC, he had to go through permissions from the bosses. Ed Schroeder was our boss. It was agreed that Andy would use their PC after hours. Thus, Andy started to work from 5 pm to 9 pm in the other group.

One day, Andy came to me. He was very scared. He told me that by accident he had pressed the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys, and the entire disk was wiped out. He was waiting to meet Ed to tell him what had happened. After telling Ed about the mishap, instead of saying anything, Ed started laughing very hard. Andy was all confused. Ed told Andy, "If they don't have a backup disk, then it's their problem. I'll talk with them."

Prioritizing Safety Through Supportive Management

This is the type of management we had—very supportive, forgiving, encouraging openness, and taking care of issues. The idea of an airplane safety issue not coming to light at an early stage was unthinkable in this environment. Safety was ingrained in our minds by Jim through his biweekly speech.

Curious Max at Boeing. Blog 4

 

My Boeing Days

Blog 4 of 10

 

Final assembly of Boeing 737 airplane (1975)

A Global Team at Boeing

This story goes back to the early 80’s.  Our group was truly international. The team members came from Switzerland, Greece, Japan, Britain, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Sweden, and the United States. I was the sole representative from India. Our group was filled with fascinating personalities, each worthy of their own blog post. My early days at Boeing reminded me of the great writer Vyasa's words about his epic Mahabharata: "You will not find any character outside of those I have portrayed in Mahabharata." Our group was a living example of all such characters. 

Max: The Curious Engineer

Max was one such ‘intriguing’ engineer.  Max stood out among us with his blonde beard, golden glasses, curly hair, and a perpetually quizzical expression. He was kind-hearted and helpful, yet naive about the world beyond his experiences and somewhat gullible. I had come from a world far away for Max.  To Max, India was magical, mysterious, and mesmerizing, straight out of the pages of The Jungle Book, where Mowgli might have been a real boy. As expected, Max was intensely curious about India.

An Unofficial Ambassador for India

Max frequently approached me with questions about my homeland. I reminded myself that every Indian in America serves as an unofficial ambassador. My behavior, for better or worse, would likely be seen as representative of all Indians. So, I strived to answer all questions politely, even when they verged on the offensive side. 

His initial questions ranged from the significance of the bindi to Indian women, Indian eating habits, snake charmers, and offering milk to snakes. One day, he asked about the cows being sacred in India. I calmly explained that while all animals are respected, cows hold a special place in rural households, much like dogs in American homes.

Elephants in Bombay: Max's Perceptions and Curiosity

Max's curiosity was not getting over.  One day Max came to me and asked,” Vinay, is it true that you have elephants in Bombay?” - it was still not called Mumbai those days.  I got a bit irritated by his question but I could not show it on my face.  Here I was trying hard to be polite hoping that someday Max would start understanding the wonderful place that I came from.  Despite all the efforts, Max was going back to square one.  I decided that he was beyond the change of opinion.  The best I could do was to be witty.  I decided to go on rambling. 

Imagination Going Wild with Humor

“Max”, I began, “I am glad you asked.  Oh, how I miss Bombay!  Life was wonderful during my childhood! During summer breaks, our pastime was to go out to a nearby lake.  We had many buffalos over there.  We'd ride on their backs as they took refreshing dips in the water. Oh! That felt so good in hot weather! Then we used to go around the lake on the back of buffaloes.    After hours of doing this, we used to sit on the back of an elephant.  Then our favorite place was to go to the Gateway of India. The elephant used to walk slowly all the way to the arch. After roaming there for a while, we used to be back on the elephant’s back and come home before dusk”. 

Reflecting on Cultural Misconceptions

Max was mesmerized.  He was listening to every word of it.  “Oh, I see”, said Max.  As he walked away from my desk, he surely had many more questions on his mind.  But we had to get back to work.  As I returned to work, I felt a mix of amusement and sympathy for Max.

Photo Credit:  Final assembly of Boeing 737 airplane (1975).jpg

Image cropped from the 1975 Boeing annual report. 

Click Americana

Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

Wikimedia commons

First Day at Work. Blog 3

My Boeing Days – First Day at Work

 Blog 3 of 10

Photo: Boeing's widebody factory in Everett, Washington, shot from the air on October 15, 2011

 

My First Day at Boeing

It was April 8th, 1981, my first day at Boeing. I was nervous. I had no idea that I was selected to work for the legendary 747 in its Autopilot design group. Control systems and R&D work were my favorites. It was like a dream come true. However, I was a raw engineer. I was very eager to learn; knowing well that I was at ground zero and had to have a very fast learning curve.

The Office Layout: A Glimpse into Boeing's Past

Those days, the seating arrangement was quite different than today. When I entered the building, there was a very long hallway. There was an opening after every 150 to 200 feet. This opening was to a very large open hall. In the hall were 100 green-colored steel desks and a chair with a swiveling back. These desks were arranged in 10 rows with 10 desks each. The desks, as well as the layout of the building, were the legacy of old times when all drawings were hand-drawn using the set-square, T-square, and a table lamp with a magnifying glass. By the time I joined Boeing, drawings were on blueprints, and another group used to draw them. Thus, our desks did not have the drafting equipment. The whole area had very few windows. Only some engineers in the last rows used to get a window seat. The window was 3 feet tall and 1 foot wide. Then there was a brick wall for a few desks, and then there was another small opening called a 'window'.

Adjusting to Professional Life 

As luck would have it, I was assigned a desk in the last row, and it had a window! While at the University, we were used to sitting in a classroom for a maximum of 50 minutes. We used to run outside to attend another lecture on another floor or another building. That was, in a way, good. We could get some fresh air and enjoy nice weather, if there was any, and watch Mount Rainier in the background of a rose garden and a large fountain that was the landmark of the University of Washington. We were not confined to one seat for 8 hours. During the first week or so at Boeing, we were not assigned any work. We used to attend some orientation programs, some general informational talks, etc. Having nothing to do and just having to sit for 8 hours was the hardest part of getting used to being a working professional. We felt restless. My new friends from Boeing, who were all fresh out of college, used to hang around my desk. We used to watch through the window. It was the only solace for us, an assurance that there was life after 8 hours!

Understanding the Corporate Hierarchy

Apart from the technical matters, I was just beginning to understand the organizational structure. I reported to a lead engineer, Pete. He reported to the first-level manager, Don Taylor. Jack Shaw was my manager's manager. The terminology used was ‘second-level manager’. Jim was the unit chief with about 4 to 5 thousand engineers and managers reporting to him. Overall, all these people loved their work, were extremely talented individuals, and best professionals.

Jack Shaw: The Dedicated, High-Level Manager

Jack Shaw was the second-level manager. He had about 300 to 400 engineers in his organization. Jack was known to be very strict and disciplined. He was a workaholic. Jack used to come to work even when he was on leave. The way to tell whether Jack was on leave or not was to look at his shoes. If he was wearing dress shoes, he was not on leave. When he was wearing casual shoes, Jack was on leave!

Engineering Culture at the Heart of Leadership

All of my managers, right from the group lead to the CEO came from the engineering ranks at Boeing. Their going through the ranks made them fully aware of what the challenges, issues, and cautionary tales were. Boeing pilots were not just pilots. They were engineers first. They had worked in engineering design groups. They understood engineering systems very well.  That’s how the engineering company was built.

Boeing and FAA Working Together

Then there was a very unique designation, Designated Engineering Representative or DER for short. The DERs were employed by Boeing yet their reporting was dual. They reported to Boeing as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). They were supposed to report every potential safety issue to the FAA at the earliest. Any possible wrong turns in the upcoming design were reported to the FAA almost immediately. Both Boeing and the FAA would try to mitigate the risk and find a better way to design. Being a DER was a very high honor, and it was well respected throughout the organization.

The Rigorous Path from Design to Certification

From design to certification was a very long, tedious, and strict process. Modifications to an existing system were not easily certifiable. It involved understanding the current control systems, understanding the shortcomings, doing the necessary design modifications, and testing it on various platforms including the software simulator, hybrid simulator, and the motion cabs. Once the system was properly functioning, the next steps involved a series of flight tests where the Boeing pilots would test the system and approve. After all this, then came the major step of getting it tested by the FAA with their pilots, system experts, and engineers. If the system passed the rigorous testing by the FAA, then Boeing would get the system certification. Finally, Boeing was allowed to put the new system on commercial airplanes.

Safety First: Jim's Perpetual Message

Every two weeks, Jim, our unit chief, used to have a meeting with us. He used to tell us how many 747s rolled out of the factory, how many were already sold, and how Airbus, the competitor, was doing. Airbus used to have many white-tailed airplanes. "Do you know what the white-tailed airplanes are?" Jim would ask before going on. "These are the planes still to be sold. They do not have a customer. We do not want to get into that situation." Then came his favorite topic. Jim used to say, "When you design an airplane, remember your spouse, your children, your parents, your family, your friends, and many others, all over the world, are going to fly on that airplane. Their safety is in your hands." Jim used to repeat the same safety message in every single meeting. Many of us had joined Boeing from school. We did not have any prior experience. Thus, for us, that was the only way to run the business--safety first. Jim's words made a long-lasting mark on our minds. Safety is of utmost importance.

Cultivating a Culture of Safety and Excellence

Our indoctrination training at Boeing was indeed an integral part of assimilating us into the culture of meticulous engineering, and unwavering commitment to safety. Working hand-in-hand with the FAA provided the necessary checks and balances. Both organizations performed at their best in their respective lines of duty to design, develop, build, test, certify, and manufacture the best and safest airplanes. This collaborative approach ensured a comprehensive process that prioritized safety and quality throughout the aircraft development lifecycle. 

 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Elson

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=boeing+jeremy+elson&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image

Campus Interview. Blog 2

 

My Boeing Days  – Campus Interview 

 Blog 2 of 10

Photo: Interior of Boeing factory, Photo credit details at the end of the blog

Summary

This blog tells two different stories about people facing career challenges.

The first story is about a graduate student who suddenly lost their research funding. It talks about how tough this was for him. The student continued to get rejections in job interviews and felt low after every rejection.  Finally, he had to make some hard choices, giving up things he liked. The story shows how he learned to be flexible, accepting the new situation and finding ways to move forward.

The second story is about an engineer dealing with job rejections. Unlike the first student, this person kept a positive attitude. Even though he didn't get the jobs he interviewed for, it didn't let it shake his confidence. The engineer held onto his self-respect and stayed optimistic.

By sharing these two stories side by side, the blog shows different ways people can react to setbacks in their careers. It's interesting to see how one person had to adapt and make big changes, while the other focused on staying positive and confident. Both stories give something to think about when one faces career challenges. 

A New Beginning

The elections were over. The results were out. The new government was in full action. One of the first policy changes included budget cuts as a measure of controlling inflation. It was late January 1981. I was a student at the University of Washington with only one thing in mind, and that was to pursue my research towards a PhD. I was working in the Bioengineering field, in the electrical engineering department. The news came that our research funding from the NIH would not be approved. My advisor called me into his office and told me the news. He suggested that I was better off attending interviews on campus and trying to get a job.

I had not appeared for any interviews on the campus since I was determined to do research at the University. Reluctantly, I went to the placement center on campus. I looked at some of the notice boards to find out the companies visiting the campus in the next one or two months. My attention was caught by the openings at the Lincoln MIT Labs and the Stanford Research Institute. I applied to both places and some more research labs in the US. One by one they came, I interviewed, and they told me that they hired only PhDs. None of the research labs was interested in hiring a candidate with only a master's degree. I was very disappointed.

I sent job applications to some small to medium-sized companies, but still, it was tough to get a job in control systems. Then there was an ad from Boeing. They were looking for control systems engineers. I applied and got a call for an interview.

On the day of the interview, I went to the placement center on the campus early. I was looking at various magazines. There was one Time magazine issue with a picture of the Boeing company's CEO, T.A. Wilson, on the cover page. It was an old issue full of information about Boeing as well as the CEO. I hurriedly browsed through it to get glimpses of the CEO's personality. There was not enough time, and sure enough, I was next.

 Boeing Interview

Two Boeing managers were sitting in the conference room. After exchanging pleasantries, they started looking at my resume. After seeing references to Bioengineering in several places, one manager tried to clarify to me. He said, "I want to let you know that we do not work in the Bioengineering area. Are you aware of that?" I had expected this question. I also had an answer ready for it. The answer was: It just depends on where 'I' go. I can be in the fourth place to make it 'Boe'i'ng' or I can be in the second place and make it 'B'i'oeng', short for bioengineering. It doesn't matter for me. But I thought that I could get labeled as a smart aleck. I just said, "Yes, I am." 

The next question was also as expected. "So, tell me about why you want to work for Boeing?", one of the managers said. I quickly decided to answer based on what I had read in Time magazine about T.A. Wilson. I said, "I read the interview of Boeing CEO, T.A. Wilson, in the Time magazine. His picture was on the cover page of the magazine. Mr. Wilson started as an engineer in the company and rose through the ranks. What impressed me about T.A. Wilson was his simplicity. He still lives in the same small house that he used to live in years ago. He still uses a small, 15-year-old car. It is very impressive. I would like to work for the management that is built by such simple people and learn from them."

Needless to say, I got the job offer in 3 days. There was just a weekend between the receipt of the letter and my joining date.

'The Company Values My Worth' 

Around the time I joined Boeing, there were 3 to 4 other engineers who joined too. One of them, Ed, became my lifelong friend. We shared many things as fresh engineers. Even today we are good friends. I remember one of our early conversations on the Boeing flight line. We were waiting for the airplane to get ready for take-off. It was late at night. We started sharing how our college days were. Then came our favorite topic of how we did in campus interviews. 

I told Ed how badly I wanted to join the research labs and I could not get in. Then I casually mentioned that after many interviews and rejections, the Boeing team came on the campus. I further told him how the interview was pretty simple and how I could easily convince the interviewers. Ed looked at me and said, "There were many companies that came to our campus. After every rejection, I said to myself that that company did not recognize my worth. It's their loss. Then came Boeing. They selected me, and I said to myself that this was the right company that deserved me. The company values my worth; I will show them that they were right." I was speechless. There was a north and south difference between what I thought and what Ed thought. Ed had a confident mindset. Ed had self-respect, confidence, and eagerness to work hard to show his worth. I was very impressed with Ed's way of thinking. It all happened 40-plus years ago. Ed certainly devoted his talent to Boeing and was a Designated Engineering Representative, a highly honored and respectable position between Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Photo: Interior of Boeing factory, Photo Credit: Meutia Chaerani / Indradi Soemardjan http://www.indrani.net, Creative Commons Attribution 2.5

 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Boeing_Factory_2002.jpg/640px-Boeing_Factory_2002.jpg

Prologue. Blog 1

 

My Boeing Days – Prologue

Blog1 of 10 

This series of blogs is about people: people who built airplanes at Boeing, and people who dreamt and built the largest commercial airplane. They made the 747 a grand success, dominating the skies for over 50 years. The series highlights employees' dedication to Boeing, their openness, transparency, and honesty. From the management side, they laid down values, gave freedom to dream, and supported employees in turning their dreams into reality. They provided safety nets in case of failure and demonstrated compassion, forgiveness, and camaraderie as fellow Boeing employees. The late former Boeing CEO, Frank Shrontz, aptly put it during his interview with the Puget Sound Business Journal in 2015: “There was a lot of pride among the people. It was kind of a family feeling, a feeling you don’t find at modern companies…”

 

I joined Boeing in 1981 in Seattle, fresh out of college and passionate about learning and advancing my technical knowledge and skills. I had little knowledge of various management functions, let alone debating the role management should play in advancing employee skills, building their career plans, and ensuring their success to advance the company. The Boeing style of management seemed typical to me, practiced in other companies as well. Needless to say, I learned all my management lessons and people skills on the job at Boeing. My bosses were role models in every respect. I worked at Boeing for 15 years, achieving the rank of Technical Fellow, also known as senior principal scientist, the highest technical rank at Boeing.

 

Reflecting on the exemplary managers and engineers I worked with, I sought to find out their whereabouts today. Sadly, many of them are no longer alive. This is truly indicative of the golden era that has become part of history—a piece of history from which many can learn.

 

Today, it is disheartening to witness the incidents that have occurred involving Boeing airplanes. I grew up with the slogan ‘I am not going if it is not Boeing,’ reflecting the pride we had in Boeing airplanes. Recently, I was saddened to see an article in a magazine twist it to ‘If it is Boeing, I am not going.’ Such a dramatic change in my lifetime is painful to witness. However, I strongly believe that a turnaround for Boeing is not only possible but inevitable. This series of blogs intends to offer a glimpse into the golden days, allowing readers to compare and contrast with today's environment. A new blog will be posted every 15 days for over 4 months. I hope this series will inspire the younger generation to restore the company to its former glory and beyond. I have faith in the spirit of Boeing employees—they will turn Boeing around. I know I am not alone in wishing for this turnaround.