The U.S. regulator restored Boeing’s authority after months of alternating oversight found comparable production quality when the company and the FAA issued certificates.
Boeing can again issue airworthiness certificates for all 737 MAX and 787 aircraft, restoring an authority the manufacturer lost after the two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019. The Federal Aviation Administration had said in September that Boeing could resume issuing some certificates on alternating weeks with the agency, and said Friday that eight months of results showed comparable production quality whether Boeing or the FAA handled the work. The decision marks an important regulatory step for Boeing after years of safety scrutiny, including the MAX crashes and the January 2024 midair door-plug blowout on a new 737 MAX 9.