By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON, June 25 (Reuters) – The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday proposed changes to modernize and speed certification of new commercial airplanes and harmonize regulations with Europe.
The FAA said by mirroring some requirements with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency it would benefit manufacturers by providing consistent requirements and reduce the cost, time and complexity of certifications. The two agencies have vowed to work more closely on safety and certification.
The proposal could be a boost to manufacturers like Boeing, Airbus, Embraer and Bombardier.
Approvals for new airplane models can take years and require substantial testing and data. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford has pushed for reforms and disclosed earlier this year the agency has a few projects working with industry “to see how they can streamline the process.”
The prior FAA head, Mike Whitaker, told Reuters in 2024 the agency was looking at using better technology to streamline the process.
Reuters first reported the FAA’s planned changes in September, disclosing the agency planned to reduce the number of “exemptions, special conditions, and equivalent level of safety findings required during the certification process.”
The FAA said modernization of airworthiness standards will cut the time for certifying and certification costs, while maintaining or increasing safety.
Last week, the FAA and EASA said they were making significant progress toward approving two new variants of the Boeing 737 MAX for use. Boeing had hoped to get the 737 MAX 7 certified in 2022 but has faced a series of issues.
Deputy FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said the agency was in the final stages of certifying the smaller MAX 7 and larger MAX 10. EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet said at a safety conference that validating the MAX 10 for service is a top priority for the agency.
(Reporting by David Shepardson)
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