I first worked at Boeing in 1961, following my father into the factory. Since then I have come and gone seven times from Boeing, each time n a different part of the company.

I’ve seen alot. What I see today is a company in need of recapturing it’s culture, its spirit.

We were the boy scouts; at least, that is what Harry Stonecipher called us. I was there.

I was charged with improving our manufacturing systems. I know Boeing culture inside and out.

I retired because of what the current Board was doing to the company. Anyone in the executive suites who knew the pointy end of the plane from the blunt end was silenced.

The disrespectful way in which we engineering and manufacturing specialists were treated was amazing. Cost cutting, high production rates, out-of-sequence work and rushed, improper work.

You've seen the headlines. Many have felt excruciating pain.

I spell out ways in which a new Board could restore the culture that made Boeing famous. Our planes were once the gold standard of the world.

We kept our promises, including delivery deadlines. We didn't haul movie props out into the sunshine pretending they were new airplanes, hiding the fact that we were missing our deadline by three years.

When the merger happened in 1997, we booed. We saw it all coming.

Unfortunately, we were right. You can't build quality airplanes if your focus is on profits.

That profit focus kills the culture it takes to build quality airplanes. There is a path back.

I sketch out a map in this book. See if you agree with me.

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