The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) announced their plans to enhance cooperation on the certification of new aircraft following a three-day joint meeting in Washington.
Both agencies committed to taking a series of steps aimed at working more closely together and deepening proactive collaboration in certification activities.
“Looking ahead to the next decade, a unified strategic direction based on information sharing and cooperation with our international partners will meet the demands of the global aviation system of the future,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker in a statement.
EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet emphasized the importance of international aviation regulators working together to ensure that safety requirements are consistently met.
In an interview with Reuters last week, Guillermet mentioned his proposal for the FAA to act as an observer in safety audits, including those involving the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
The EASA and FAA also pledged to enhance information sharing regarding safety oversight and to encourage technical experts from both agencies to collaborate and rely on each other to avoid duplication of efforts and to adopt a risk-based approach.
Focus on Boeing
Since the two crashes involving the Boeing 737 Max in 2018 and 2019, which resulted in the deaths of 346 people, aviation authorities worldwide have intensified their scrutiny of new aircraft.
The FAA is currently examining two new variants of the Max that are awaiting certification, including the Max 7, which is expected to be certified no earlier than 2025. Boeing had previously withdrawn a request for a significant safety exemption.
Boeing is also seeking certification for the 777X, a more fuel-efficient version of the popular wide-body 777 aircraft. The EASA has requested changes to the flight control systems of the 777X.