The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has restored Boeing's authority to issue airworthiness certificates for newly built 737 MAX and 787 aircraft, ending a phased oversight program introduced after concerns over the manufacturer's production quality.
The decision takes effect on July 20 and follows eight months during which Boeing and FAA inspectors alternated responsibility for issuing the certificates. According to the regulator, data collected during that period showed no meaningful difference in production quality regardless of which party performed the certification.
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Airworthiness certificates are the final regulatory approval required before a newly built aircraft can be delivered to an airline.
The FAA stripped Boeing of that authority after a series of manufacturing quality issues culminated in the January 2024 mid-air blowout of a door plug on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. The incident renewed scrutiny of Boeing's production system, already under intense regulatory oversight following the fatal crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 in 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in 2019, which led to the worldwide grounding of the 737 MAX for nearly two years.
Although Boeing will again issue the certificates, the FAA said it will maintain close supervision of the company's production system through inspections, audits and monitoring of manufacturing quality, engineering compliance and the effectiveness of Boeing's Safety Management System.
The decision is another sign that the regulator is gradually restoring confidence in Boeing's manufacturing processes after more than two years of heightened oversight.
It also comes as the FAA nears certification of the 737 MAX 7, the smallest member of the MAX family. The variant is expected to receive approval in the coming weeks, while certification of the larger 737 MAX 10 remains on track before the end of the year, completing Boeing's effort to certify every member of the MAX family.
