Boeing-owned Wisk Aero sued by ex-employee over alleged retaliation

Wisk Aero, the electric air taxi company owned by Boeing, is facing a lawsuit from a former employee who alleges she was fired after raising safety concerns. Former software manager Briahna O'Neill sued Wisk in Santa Clara Superior Court earlier this week, alleging discrimination and wrongful termination. The Seattle Times first reported on the lawsuit, noting that Boeing declined to comment.

O'Neill claims she filed two internal safety reports that outlined how Wisk had engineers reduce the amount of FAA-required software testing being done in order to hit a test flight deadline in 2025. O'Neill says she was fired just weeks after filing the second complaint. Founded in 2019, Wisk is one of several companies attempting to develop commercially viable electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

The company aims for full autonomy and was one of eight companies approved by the FAA earlier this year to join a three-year program for testing such aircraft. Wisk said it cannot comment on ongoing litigation. The lawsuit against Wisk Aero raises concerns about the safety culture within the company and the aerospace industry as a whole.

If O'Neill's allegations are true, it would suggest that Wisk prioritized meeting deadlines over addressing legitimate safety concerns. This could have far-reaching implications for the development of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, an industry that relies heavily on public trust. For developers and businesses, this lawsuit highlights the importance of maintaining a robust safety culture and protecting whistleblowers.

For consumers, it raises questions about the safety of emerging technologies and the need for regulatory bodies to closely monitor their development. Ultimately, the outcome of this lawsuit will be closely watched by industry stakeholders and may lead to changes in how companies approach safety and compliance.