FAA restores authority for Boeing to issue 737MAX & 787 airworthiness certificates

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will allow Boeing to resume issuing airworthiness certificates for all newly built 737 MAX and 787 aircraft. The move restores a certification responsibility that had been restricted following safety and production concerns.

The decision takes effect on July 20, 2026, and follows eight months of FAA oversight comparing aircraft certified by Boeing with those certified directly by the regulator.

According to the FAA, the review found comparable production quality regardless of whether airworthiness certificates were issued by Boeing or the agency itself. Based on those findings, the regulator concluded it could safely return the responsibility to Boeing while maintaining close oversight of the manufacturer’s production system.

An airworthiness certificate is the final approval issued before a newly built aircraft can enter commercial service, confirming that it complies with its approved design and is safe to operate.

The FAA began gradually restoring Boeing’s certification authority in September 2025, when the manufacturer was allowed to issue airworthiness certificates for some 737 MAX and 787 aircraft on alternating weeks with FAA inspectors. The arrangement allowed the agency to compare production quality under both certification processes before deciding whether to fully restore the authority of Boeing.

Although Boeing will once again issue certificates for all newly produced aircraft, the FAA explained it will continue inspections, audits, and monitoring of the company’s manufacturing system. Oversight will include critical assembly activities, production quality trends, compliance with engineering requirements, as well as Boeing’s Safety Management System (SMS) and broader safety culture.

“Safety drives everything we do, and this step forward is only possible because we are confident it can be done safely,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said.

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Bedford added that FAA inspectors will continue focusing on identifying potential manufacturing risks earlier in the production process.

The FAA suspended Boeing’s ability to issue airworthiness certificates for the 737 MAX in 2019 following the fatal Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes. The same authority was withdrawn for the 787 Dreamliner in 2022 after the agency identified production quality issues.The post FAA restores authority for Boeing to issue 737MAX & 787 airworthiness certificates appeared first on AeroTime.

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