FAA Restores Boeing Authority to Issue Airworthiness Certificates

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Friday that it will return the authority to issue airworthiness certificates for the 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner aircraft to Boeing starting next week. This decision follows months of data and safety reviews designed to ensure consistent production quality.

Boeing previously lost this authority for the 737 MAX in 2019 following fatal crashes and for the 787 in 2022 due to production quality issues. The restoration follows an eight-month trial period in which the agency and Boeing alternated certification duties. The regulator found that production quality findings were comparable regardless of which party issued the certificates.

Returning this responsibility to the manufacturer is intended to help Boeing remove production bottlenecks as the company seeks to ramp up delivery of these aircraft models. While the manufacturer regains the power to certify planes, the FAA will maintain strict, ongoing oversight of the process.