Safety Concerns & Accident Investigation - Aviation industry and US government officials maintain that flying is still safer than driving, despite recent accidents, but the system is under stress [1] - The Air India crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner has reignited flight safety concerns [1] - Accident investigations can take months or over a year, often pointing to a series of factors involving airline crew, pilots, maintenance personnel, weather, design, and manufacturing [7] - It is too early to determine the cause of the 787 crash, and early indications can be undermined by new information [3] - Early investigation focuses include aircraft configuration (flaps, landing gear), and potential engine thrust loss [4] Boeing Safety Record & Issues - Boeing has been in the news for safety issues, including a pair of 737 Max crashes and the Alaska Airlines door plug blowout [5] - Boeing states they are working to improve how they monitor fleet safety, engineering, and aircraft manufacturing [6] - The 787 Dreamliner is a newer model (debuted in 2011) with an excellent safety record prior to the Air India crash [6] - There have been production issues with the 787 early in its development and more recently [6]