The near-catastrophe last year on Jan. 5 was a "cathartic moment for all of us," Ortberg said at the hearing, saying that Boeing has since made "drastic" changes to its processes. "It's critically important that we rebuild trust." The CEO was keen to put the focus on improving Boeing's safety culture, saying that he won't push for higher aircraft production rates until key safety metrics point in the right direction. He's limited the financial guidance shared with investors, the CEO said, in a nod to criticism levied against past executives that their emphasis on generating cash and production rates pressured factory workers to downplay safety concerns. "I'm not pressuring the team to go fast, I'm pressuring the team to do it right," Ortberg said. "That's the most important thing we can do at this point." The CEO said he "hopes" that Boeing can move above a rate of 38 737 Max aircraft a month later in the year. Ortberg's appearance was his first before US lawmakers since he became CEO in August.