Washington, DC, May 30 - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on May 29, 2025, announced a three-year extension of the Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) program, which permits Boeing to perform certain regulatory tasks, such as inspections and repair approvals, on behalf of the agency. This decision comes after a rigorous evaluation process, during which the FAA closely monitored Boeing’s performance and observed improvements in key areas. The ODA program, established to leverage industry expertise due to the FAA’s limited resources, allows an independent unit within Boeing, staffed by over 1,000 employees, to handle delegated tasks in engineering, manufacturing, and administrative functions. The FAA emphasized that it will maintain strict oversight of Boeing’s activities throughout the renewal period to ensure compliance with safety standards.
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The ODA program has been a cornerstone of the FAA’s approach to regulating complex aircraft manufacturing, but it has not been without controversy. In May 2022, the FAA renewed Boeing’s ODA for three years instead of the five years the company requested, citing the need for Boeing to implement critical safety and quality improvements. This decision followed heightened scrutiny after two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, which killed 346 people and led to a 20-month grounding of the aircraft. Congress responded with sweeping reforms in December 2020 through the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act, mandating enhanced FAA oversight and addressing concerns about undue industry influence. A key condition for the 2022 renewal was that Boeing’s ODA employees must operate without interference from company officials, a requirement aimed at ensuring impartiality in safety-critical tasks.
The FAA’s decision to extend the ODA program in 2025 reflects Boeing’s progress in addressing these concerns. The agency noted that Boeing had made significant strides in most monitored areas, though specific details of these improvements were not disclosed. However, the FAA’s oversight remains robust, particularly after a January 2024 incident involving an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9, where a mid-cabin door plug component blew out mid-flight due to missing bolts. This event prompted the FAA to impose a production cap of 38 737 MAX planes per month, which remains in place, and to ground 171 aircraft temporarily. The agency also conducted unannounced audits and increased its on-site presence at Boeing’s facilities in Renton, Washington, and at supplier Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas.
Boeing’s efforts to improve its safety culture have included new random quality audits and a reduction in defects in 737 fuselage assembly at Spirit AeroSystems. Despite these advancements, the FAA continues to inspect every 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner before issuing airworthiness certificates, a task not delegated to Boeing. In 2023, FAA officials considered allowing Boeing’s ODA to resume issuing these certificates, but the Alaska Airlines incident halted that proposal. The FAA’s ongoing scrutiny, including a three-month audit launched in October 2024 to review Boeing’s safety processes, underscores its commitment to ensuring the planemaker adheres to stringent safety standards. This extension of the ODA program, while acknowledging Boeing’s improvements, signals that the FAA will not relent in its oversight, prioritizing the safety of the flying public above all else.