The need for those recent appointments arose because during the downturn from the pandemic Boeing offered early retirement to many more senior FAA-authorized safety engineers. One FAA safety engineer, who cannot be identified because he spoke without FAA approval, said that in one certification specialty more than 20 such Boeing engineers left in a single month. In a statement Wednesday, Boeing said it intends to strengthen the selection process for such appointees and its oversight of airplane certification work more broadly. The FAA delegates to these authorized safety appointees much of the airplane certification work, making sure tests are completed and that all designs comply with regulations. Previously, the Boeing authorized appointees reported to their Boeing managers and frequently had little or no direct contact with the FAA technical staff, an arrangement that drew criticism for undermining their independence from Boeing management.

Source: The Herald November 11, 2021 18:07 UTC