Accidents
Expert Panel Endorses Max Cert Process, Calls for Upgrades
The special committee formed by Transportation Secretary Chao calls for better assessment of “human-machine interaction.”

A special committee to review the Federal Aviation Administration’s aircraft certification process established to investigate alleged certification process weaknesses exposed by the twin crashes of the Boeing 737 Max found the FAA’s certification procedures generally effective, according to a report published by the Department of Transportation Thursday. However, the panel cited an opportunity for improvement in “multiple areas” and called for a requirement for manufacturers to adopt safety management systems. The committee, formed last April by U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, outlines “numerous” consensus findings and more than a dozen unanimous recommendations.