The FAA said Friday that it will resume limited delegation to Boeing for issuing airworthiness certificates on some 737 MAX and 787 airplanes beginning Sept. 29. The agency added that the move comes after a detailed review of Boeing’s production quality and will allow inspectors to place added focus on critical points in the assembly process.
“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 said in a statement.
Under the arrangement, Boeing and the FAA will issue certificates on alternating weeks. According to the agency, inspectors will increase surveillance during assembly, monitor compliance with engineering requirements, and evaluate Boeing’s Safety Management System and overall safety culture.
The FAA halted Boeing’s authority to issue certificates for the 737 MAX in 2019 during the model’s return to service after the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines accidents. In 2022, it removed that authority for the 787 due to production quality concerns.
In May 2025, the FAA renewed Boeing’s Organization Designation Authorization for three years, clearing the way for partial delegation. The agency emphasized that it will continue direct and rigorous oversight of Boeing’s production lines as the company resumes limited certification responsibilities.
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