Here’s some good news for Boeing, and airlines, and… maybe the traveling public? I dunno, I guess we’ll see.
In this post:
FAA allows Boeing to issue airworthiness certificates again
As of Monday, September 29, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will once again allow Boeing to issue its own airworthiness certificates for new 737 MAX and 787 aircraft. This is a major development for Boeing, as the aerospace giant hasn’t been able to do this for the 737 MAX since 2019, and for the 787 since 2022.
For some background, Boeing has of course been under incredible regulatory scrutiny in recent years, and for good reason. First there were the two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 (Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines), and then we’ve seen all kinds of additional quality control issues with both the 737 MAX and 787.
As part of the increased oversight, Boeing’s ability to self-certify the airworthiness of new aircraft was taken away. In other words, Boeing couldn’t just say that its planes were safe, but it had to actually prove it to regulators, before they’d sign off on that.
The concept of self-certifying planes is possible through the FAA’s Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) program, which allows authorized organizations to perform certification functions on behalf of the FAA, such as issuing airworthiness and production certifications for aircraft. So the FAA is now once again delegating this to Boeing, so Boeing can decide if an aircraft is safe to operate.
The FAA claims that it’s confident in Boeing’s quality
The FAA claims that safety drives everything that the organization does, and the FAA is only allowing this step because it’s confident that it can be done safely. This decision follows a thorough review of Boeing’s ongoing production quality, and will reportedly allow FAA inspectors to focus additional surveillance on the production process.
For example, there will be more FAA inspectors observing critical assembly stages, examining trends, ensuring Boeing mechanics are performing work to approved type design and engineering requirements, and assessing all activities for Boeing’s continuous improvement of its Safety Management System (SMS). Inspectors will also observe Boeing’s safety culture, ensuring that Boeing employees can report safety issues without fear of retribution.
I’m sure people will have conflicting takes on this, with many thinking it reflects the current administration’s anti-regulation attitude. I don’t have a terribly strong take on this, though this is definitely positive news in terms of Boeing being able to deliver planes more efficiently, which has been a massive issue for the company in recent years.
Can Boeing be trusted to self-certify planes in this way, given its track record? I mean, I don’t think any for-profit, publicly traded company can be “trusted.” However, I do believe that the top executives at Boeing now finally have the mandate to focus on quality and long term sustainability over short term profits, so in that sense, I do think progress has been made.
Hopefully this represents Boeing turning a corner in a positive way, though only time will tell…
Bottom line
Boeing is regaining the ability to issue airworthiness certificates for new planes, which hasn’t been possible for 737 MAXs since 2019, and for 787s since 2022. The FAA claims that it’s confident in Boeing’s quality improvements, and that resources would better be put into oversight of Boeing in other areas. We’ll see how this plays out, but it should be good news in terms of the pace at which planes are delivered.
What do you make of Boeing regaining the ability to self-certify its aircraft?
What could possibly go wrong when the fox is left to guard the hen house?
YAY! More beta testing on live passengers!
They should do the same thing for the 777X to show that this administration really is pro business.
It has always gone well when a company is left to monitor itself. It's like I am living in a bizarro universe.
I like the idea of effectively moving the FAA focus "upstream" from safety certification of finished planes to the process of making them in the first place.
Cynicism in general is probably justified in the context of "government that doesn't believe in regulating the market unless it's to punish importers removes a regulatory obstacle to a US company with an international rival," but I genuinely like the theoretical basis of this move. Whether it'll be...
I like the idea of effectively moving the FAA focus "upstream" from safety certification of finished planes to the process of making them in the first place.
Cynicism in general is probably justified in the context of "government that doesn't believe in regulating the market unless it's to punish importers removes a regulatory obstacle to a US company with an international rival," but I genuinely like the theoretical basis of this move. Whether it'll be nearly as sensible in practice is another matter...
This ought to go well.
Trust the FAA’s judgement in 2025? Nah.
So the FAA had a better reputation when Boeing was taking short cuts under previous administrations?
It was taking shortcuts under and originally certified the 737 MAX under *checks notes* Trump's first term.
Well, here we go: back to Stock-Price Safety Standards.
Happy flying everyone!
You are ignoring new management and the cost that a future crash would inflict to Boeing's reputation. For all the people complaining, the FAA allowed Boeing to get in its failed state before requiring action be taken.
How can you damage a reputation that is at rock bottom?
@Brian W
>You are ignoring new management and the cost that a future crash would inflict to Boeing's reputation
Just saying, COVID-19 did far more damage to Boeing's stock price than the two 737 MAX crashes did. When only two major aircraft suppliers exist, and both exist with government support, it's kind of hard for a crash or two to irreparably damage their business. The government *should* be watching like a hawk to ensure...
@Brian W
>You are ignoring new management and the cost that a future crash would inflict to Boeing's reputation
Just saying, COVID-19 did far more damage to Boeing's stock price than the two 737 MAX crashes did. When only two major aircraft suppliers exist, and both exist with government support, it's kind of hard for a crash or two to irreparably damage their business. The government *should* be watching like a hawk to ensure corners aren't cut and the resulting products aren't going to lawndart with 150 people on board.
This is great news.
Boeing is turning the corner from decades of mismanagement.
The FAA cannot let them have the unguarded freedoms they once had but it was a given that Boeing would turn itself around the US government would ensure that Boeing produces high quality products.
Now, let's see the 777X and MAX 7 and 10 certified.
Exactly. The MAX7 test aircraft were used for the Recertification efforts of the MAX8 following the Grounding. How it Didn’t get certifications itself during that period the biggest Blunder of all times.
If the Anti Ice work around procedures/exemption is fine for the MAX8 and MAX9 it should be fine for both the MAX7 and MAX10. It’s not like the pilots who already have flown the other two models are suddenly going to fine...
Exactly. The MAX7 test aircraft were used for the Recertification efforts of the MAX8 following the Grounding. How it Didn’t get certifications itself during that period the biggest Blunder of all times.
If the Anti Ice work around procedures/exemption is fine for the MAX8 and MAX9 it should be fine for both the MAX7 and MAX10. It’s not like the pilots who already have flown the other two models are suddenly going to fine themselves dumbfounded on the other two models.