[biker1]

Yep, and as I already stated, the FAA relied too much on Boeing for the original certification. The EASA pretty much rubber stamped their certification based on the FAA. They won’t be doing that anymore and it appears that the FAA will not rely as much on plane manufacturers in the future. The plane is now certified again after being scrutinized to the nth degree. Problems were identified and corrected.

Originally Posted by DeanFL

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..it was certified by the FAA & EASA before the 2 crashes... and the airframe "design flaw" is not "corrected" (placement of the engines etc), simply a system to respond to unwanted aerodynamics. ...hard to argue with facts.

The Boeing 737 MAX was initially certified in March 2017 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Boeing used a new software, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) to enable a commonality, ensuring that the MAX shared the same type certificate as the 737NG, the immediate predecessor, thereby reducing pilot training requirements and saving money for airline customers. Following two fatal accidents where MCAS was implicated, Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, the MAX was grounded worldwide in March 2019.

Investigations of the certification process determined that Boeing and the FAA favored cost-saving solutions, but ultimately produced a flawed design. The FAA's Organization Designation Authorization program, allowing manufacturers to act on its behalf, was also questioned for weakening its oversight of Boeing. In November 2019, the FAA suspended Boeing's authority to issue individual airworthiness certificates for MAX aircraft. In February 2020, the DOJ investigated Boeing's internal emails, suspecting that Boeing lied to the FAA. In June 2020, the U.S. Inspector General's report revealed that MCAS problems dated several years before the accidents. The FAA found that Boeing had violated regulations in deciding to not fix a known defect with the aircraft.

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation on Tuesday to reform the Federal Aviation Administration’s aircraft certification process after two fatal Boeing 737 Max crashes killed 346 people.

The 737 Max has been grounded since March 2019 but the FAA is set on Wednesday to approve the plane’s return to service after a lengthy review, new software safeguards and training upgrades, Reuters reported earlier.

The House bill, approved on a voice vote, requires an expert panel to evaluate Boeing’s safety culture and to recommend improvements, and mandates that aircraft manufacturers adopt safety management systems and complete system safety assessments for significant design changes.

It also requires that risk calculations be based on realistic assumptions of pilot response time, and that risk assessments are shared with regulators.

Boeing and the FAA declined to comment on the legislation. The Senate Commerce Committee plans to vote on Wednesday on a similar FAA certification reform bill.
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