The Federal Aviation Administration is taking back the sole authority to issue airworthiness certificates for new 737 MAX aircraft for an indefinite period, marking a reversal in a program that had transferred responsibility to Boeing, even as questions linger on the re-launch of the troubled airplane.
As Reuters
has reported, the FAA issued a letter to Boeing on Tuesday notifying them of the decision. Citing the large number of 737 MAX planes that will need vetting that have piled up in storage as Boeing has continued production despite the global grounding of the plane, the FAA said it will “retain authority to issue airworthiness certificates and export certificates of airworthiness for all 737 MAX airplanes” for an indefinite period, until the Administration is satisfied that Boeing has “fully functional quality control and verification processes.”
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