A7D Case

The A7D Affair

The A7D Affair

From a business perspective, working under government contracts can be a very good proposition. In general, a stream of orders keep coming in, revenue increases and a company can realize tremendous profits. The obvious downfalls when working in this manner are high quality expectations, as well as the extensive research and documentation required for government contracts. If a part fails to perform correctly, it can cause problems that can carry serious repercussions, such as in the B.F. Goodrich A7D brake scandal.

On June 18, 1967, the B. E Goodrich Wheel and Brake Plant in Troy, Ohio, received a contract to supply wheels and brakes for a new air force aircraft (Shaw & Barry, 2010). Goodrich proposed a lighter-weight, four-rotor brake instead of the traditional five-disc brake. Before the air force could accept the brake, B. F. Goodrich had to present a report showing that the brake passed specified military qualifying tests. The last two weeks of June 1968 were set aside for testing the brake, giving Goodrich almost a full year for design and testing (Goodrich Case).

John Warren designed the brake, but Searle Lawson, a newcomer to B. F. Goodrich, was assigned responsibility for final production. Lawson began testing the brake using a prototype. In the first round of testing, the prototype reached 1,500 degrees. After a few tests, the linings of the brakes were disintegrated. Lawson tried new linings, thinking that was the problem, not the brake. Again, the test failed. He concluded that there was a design flaw, the four-disc brake was too small, and a five-disc brake may be more effective. At this point, a redesign of the brake would mean delay and this meant that the brake would most likely not be ready for delivery on time. Goodrich had assured the air force that the four-disc brake was possible and would be ready. Warren, the original designer, did not want to admit to any error or liked the idea...