FAA Plans to Streamline Aircraft Certification Process

Agency will deliver proposals in December.

Zach Vasile

Monday, September 08, 2025 at 04:38 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Boeing's fifth 777X takes flight. [Courtesy: Boeing]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA plans to modernize and streamline its certification process for new commercial aircraft and propulsion systems by December, aiming to reduce costs and approval times while maintaining safety.
This initiative involves reducing the number of "exemptions, special conditions, and equivalent level of safety findings" required during certification.
The announcement comes amid Boeing's ongoing struggles and significant delays in certifying its 737 Max 7, 737 Max 10, and 777X aircraft, which have faced various design, quality, and safety concerns.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The FAA is looking at speeding up its certification process for new commercial aircraft.

The agency said it will submit plans to “modernize” certification standards for transport aircraft and propulsion systems by December. The changes are expected to streamline certification by paring back the number of “exemptions, special conditions, and equivalent level of safety findings required during the certification process,” which will in turn “reduce certification costs and time to certify new and changed products.”