FAA restores limited Boeing certificate authority for 737 MAX, 787 

Boeing will once again be allowed to issue some airworthiness certificates for the 737 MAX and 787, after the FAA said it would restore limited authority to the manufacturer beginning on September 29, 2025. The decision marks the first time in years that Boeing has regained even partial control of the process, following suspensions imposed after the 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 and separate production quality problems on the 787 program. 

The FAA said the arrangement will see Boeing and the agency alternate weeks issuing certificates for new aircraft. Inspectors will remain embedded at Boeing factories, watching critical stages of assembly, ensuring mechanics follow approved designs, and assessing whether the company’s safety culture encourages employees to report problems without fear of reprisal. 

“Safety drives everything we do, and the FAA will only allow this step forward because we are confident it can be done safely,” the agency said in a statement. 

The FAA first removed Boeing’s certificate authority for the 737 MAX in 2019, when the jet returned to service following the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes. Three years later, the agency extended the suspension to the 787 amid quality problems with fuselage joins and other structural components. 

This most recent move comes four months after the FAA renewed Boeing’s Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) for three years, effective June 1. The ODA program lets manufacturers carry out some certification work on the agency’s behalf, but only under close oversight. Regulators said resuming partial delegation will free inspectors to devote more attention to higher-risk areas while still retaining “direct and rigorous” control of Boeing’s production lines. 

The return of some certification authority comes at a critical moment for Boeing, which continues to trail Airbus in deliveries. Through July 2025, Boeing had handed over 328 aircraft compared to Airbus’s 373, including 246 MAX jets and 45 Dreamliners. Production has been hampered by quality checks, supply-chain disruptions, and ongoing FAA scrutiny. 

Boeing has outlined plans to raise its 737 MAX output beyond the current cap of 38 per month, with a near-term goal of 42 and a longer-term aim of 47. The company also wants to increase 787 production from about five aircraft per month to seven and eventually see double-digit monthly rates. Restoring part of its certification authority should help ease bottlenecks and delays, but alternating certification work with the FAA means delivery flow will remain tightly managed. 

Even as regulators offered Boeing a measure of relief, they also underscored that trust remains fragile. In September 2025, the FAA proposed a $3.14 million fine against Boeing, alleging hundreds of lapses in 737 production oversight and citing pressure placed on an ODA designee to sign off on a jet that did not meet standards. The enforcement action followed the January 2024 Alaska Airlines MAX 9 door plug blowout, which the NTSB later linked to multiple system failures. 

Those incidents have shaped the cautious path now being taken. Rather than returning full authority, the FAA’s alternating-week approach keeps the company on a short leash, ensuring federal inspectors maintain a daily presence on the factory floor. 

For Boeing, the restoration of limited certification power is a symbolic step forward. It suggests regulators see progress in the company’s quality systems and safety reporting channels. But it is also a reminder that the FAA’s patience has limits. As Boeing works to raise production, clear backlogs, and reassure airline customers, the agency will be watching every move. Any slip could mean another reversal. For now, Boeing has gained a measure of flexibility, but it will need to prove it can deliver airplanes that meet both schedule and safety expectations. The post FAA restores limited Boeing certificate authority for 737 MAX, 787  appeared first on AeroTime.

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