The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday proposed changes to modernize and speed certification of new commercial airplanes and harmonize regulations with Europe
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed significant changes to modernize and accelerate the certification of new commercial airplanes, aiming to harmonize its regulations with European standards. This initiative aims to streamline approvals and foster global consistency.
By aligning some requirements with those of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the FAA anticipates substantial benefits for manufacturers.
This alignment is expected to provide consistent requirements, reducing certification cost, time, and complexity. Both agencies have vowed closer collaboration on safety and certification.
The proposal could significantly boost manufacturers like Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, and Bombardier. Approvals for new airplane models often take years and require extensive testing.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford has pushed for reforms, noting the agency has projects with industry "to see how they can streamline the process."
The FAA's plan involves reducing "exemptions, special conditions, and equivalent level of safety findings required during the certification process," a strategy first reported last September. Modernizing airworthiness standards, the agency states, will cut certification time and costs while maintaining or increasing safety.
This coincides with recent progress by the FAA and EASA toward approving two new Boeing 737 MAX variants. Boeing had hoped to certify the 737 MAX 7 in 2022 but faced issues.
Deputy FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau confirmed the agency is in the final stages of certifying the smaller MAX 7 and larger MAX 10. EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet called the validation of the MAX 10 a "top priority" for his agency.
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