FAA Restores Boeing’s Authority to Certify 737 Max and 787 Aircraft
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Friday that it will allow Boeing to resume signing off on the airworthiness certificates of certain 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner aircraft prior to their delivery to customers. This marks a significant step in Boeing’s efforts to regain regulatory confidence after years of intense scrutiny following safety incidents and production flaws.
Background and Previous Restrictions
In 2019, following two fatal crashes involving the 737 Max, the FAA revoked Boeing’s authority to issue airworthiness certificates for the aircraft, assuming sole responsibility for certifying the planes as safe to fly. A similar restriction was imposed on the 787 Dreamliner in 2022 due to identified production defects.
Since then, the FAA has maintained tight control over certification, reflecting heightened caution in the wake of Boeing’s safety challenges.
New Certification Approach: Alternating Responsibilities
The FAA’s updated framework involves alternating the issuance of airworthiness certificates on a weekly basis between the agency and Boeing. This shared responsibility underscores renewed confidence in Boeing’s production quality while maintaining rigorous oversight.
“Safety drives everything we do, and the FAA will only allow this step forward because we are confident it can be done safely,” the FAA stated. “This decision follows a thorough review of Boeing’s ongoing production quality and will allow our inspectors to focus additional surveillance in the production process.”
Ongoing Challenges in Boeing’s Production
Despite progress, Boeing continues to face hurdles. A midair door panel blowout on a 737 Max 9 in January 2024 led the FAA to cap production rates and intensify scrutiny. Boeing remains under pressure to demonstrate consistent manufacturing quality and safety compliance.
The FAA noted that any request by Boeing to increase production rates will be subject to extensive planning and review by onsite FAA safety inspectors to ensure safe manufacturing capacity.
Boeing CEO Comments on Production Stability and Growth
Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s CEO since mid-2024, highlighted the company’s focus on stabilizing the 737 Max production rate at 38 planes per month. He expressed optimism about initiating a “capstone review” with the FAA soon — a comprehensive evaluation of supply chain readiness and production processes that could pave the way for a production increase.
“I feel pretty confident that we’ll be in a position here pretty soon to sit down with the FAA and go through what we call a capstone review, which is the process we go through to not just go through these [key performance indicators], but to look at our entire supply chain readiness, our continued production readiness and move forward with that,” Ortberg said at a recent investor conference.
Following the announcement, Boeing shares rose approximately 4% on Friday, reflecting positive market sentiment toward the regulatory development.
FinOracleAI — Market View
The FAA’s decision to restore Boeing’s partial certification authority signals a cautious but meaningful vote of confidence in the manufacturer’s ability to manage safety and quality controls. This development may accelerate Boeing’s path to normalizing production and delivery schedules, enhancing its competitive position in the commercial aviation sector.
- Opportunities: Improved regulatory trust could enable Boeing to increase production rates, reduce delivery backlogs, and strengthen customer relationships.
- Risks: Continued production issues or unforeseen safety incidents could prompt renewed regulatory restrictions and impact Boeing’s reputation and financial performance.
- Market Reaction: Positive investor response suggests confidence in Boeing’s recovery trajectory, though vigilance remains essential.
Impact: The FAA’s move is a positive step toward restoring Boeing’s operational autonomy and supports a gradual return to industry stability.
