Non-flyer here, sticking my neck out.
I note that
tdracer and
DaveReidUK provided clout about certification methodology in recent posts.
My source docs,
*
B737 TC - an FAA doc actually named “Type Certificate Data Sheet A16WE” (page with link originally provided by
Gysbreght in post #1187)
*
Section 25.672 of Part 25 Airworthiness Standards (FAA)
Firstly, note that the B737 MAX-8 and -9 have both been methodically added to the B737 TC, as shown on the current B737 Type Certificate Data Sheet. Application for MAX-8 certification was first put to the FAA in June, 2012; design was finalized mid 2013; and its specific TC was issued in March 2017, (10 weeks before being flown by the first operator). In doing so, these new MAX a/c append in time sequence to a long list of all previous 737 variants that the TC Data Sheet covers. There are 2 more of the 737 MAX family to come yet.
So, digging into the TC, towards the end where 737-8 and 737-9 certification is summarized. On page 74 of the doc we find that in the CONTROL SYSTEMS section, the included item Part 25.672
Stability Augmentation and Automatic and Power-Operated Systems (an FAA named item) gets its first and only mention. This in a certification data sheet which includes every model since the very first 737, so logically the item applies only to the MAX-8 and -9. Apparently none of the prior B737 variants were certified for this.
Is it too much to conclude that this is MCAS first seeing the regulatory light of day?
If so, in the second source doc above, the FAA sets out the regulatory requirements for systems having this class of functionality. If Boeing had the MCAS in mind in citing this section for certification, there may be some pertinent questions to be answered.