FAA restores Boeing's Max/787 self‑certification authority
The Federal Aviation Administration announced Sept. 26, 2025 that it will restore Boeing's ability to perform final safety inspections and issue airworthiness certificates for 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner aircraft after a multi‑year federal takeover of some approvals. The FAA said Boeing and FAA inspectors will rotate weekly to carry out required pre‑delivery checks, freeing agency inspectors to focus on production‑line quality reviews; the move follows years of regulatory oversight after fatal Max crashes and marks a major operational shift for U.S. aviation oversight and Boeing's manufacturing pipeline.
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FAA restores Boeing's ability to certify Max jets for flight more than 6 years after fatal crashes
New information:
- FAA announced on Sept. 26, 2025 that Boeing may again issue airworthiness certificates for 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner planes, with the new arrangement starting 'Monday' (per the FAA statement).
- Boeing and FAA inspectors will rotate weekly to conduct the final safety inspections required before aircraft delivery.
- Background: the FAA took full control of 737 Max approvals in 2019 after two crashes killed 346 people; the agency revoked Dreamliner self‑certification rights in 2022.
- Regulatory and market context: FAA is seeking $3.1 million in fines for alleged safety violations (Sept. 2023–Feb. 2024) and previously capped Max production at 38 planes per month after a Jan. 2024 Alaska Airlines incident.
- Commercial impact: Turkish Airlines announced plans to buy 75 Dreamliners and indicated interest in up to 150 additional 737 Max jets; Norwegian Group ordered 30 737 Max 8s, and Boeing shares rose about 4% on the news.