After Deadly Crashes, US Says Boeing Can Resume Certifying Some New Planes

US regulators will permit Boeing to certify the airworthiness of some new planes, air safety officials announced Friday, in a sign of authorities' increased confidence in the aviation giant's operations.

The move by the Federal Aviation Administration means Boeing will issue airworthiness certificates on newly produced 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner planes on alternating weeks, with the agency still doing the checks in the off weeks, an FAA press release said.

The US-based airplane manufacturer had previously been granted authority for the certificates, but the FAA removed the power following deadly crashes as well as production and safety problems involving Boeing jets.

"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. "The FAA will continue to maintain direct and rigorous oversight of Boeing's production processes." 

Granting this authority back to Boeing will allow FAA inspectors "to focus additional surveillance in the production process," the agency said.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The FAA announcement marks a sign of progress in Boeing's turnaround following deadly MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019. These led to a lengthy grounding of the jet and congressional probes in which the FAA was also criticized for an overly cozy relationship with the company.

The FAA permitted the MAX to resume service in November 2020 but the aircraft again came under scrutiny following a January 2024 flight in which an Alaska Airlines jet was forced to make an emergency landing after a window panel blew out.

In 2019, the FAA stopped letting Boeing issue airworthiness certificates for the 737 MAX. The agency removed the authority for the 787 in 2022 due to production quality issues.

Aerospace experts have given positive reviews to Kelly Ortberg, a longtime aviation executive who became Boeing's CEO in August 2024. Ortberg has described improving company culture as a work in progress, but said the company had made enough headway to request a production increase on the MAX later this year.

Shares of Boeing rose 3.2 percent in morning trading on Friday.

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