Boeing and aerospace chiefs to meet US transport secretary on certification reform

Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg will join other aerospace executives at a meeting with US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to discuss reform of the aircraft certification process, according to a report by Bloomberg.

RTX chief executive Christopher Calio and GE Aerospace chief executive Larry Culp are also expected to attend the session on October 15, 2026 in Savannah, Georgia. The discussion is to focus on how certification of aircraft, parts and components could be made more efficient.

The Department of Transportation has said Secretary Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford have described certification reform as a chance to strengthen safety for the flying public while preserving the competitiveness of the US aerospace industry. A department spokesperson said that without modernisation, safety innovation would slow and rivals such as China would fill the gap.

The meeting follows years of complaints from regulators and industry about the pace of approvals. Boeing has been among the manufacturers most affected by certification delays over the past decade.

The company announced on August 3, 2026 that the 737 MAX 7 had received type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, 13 years after Boeing and Southwest Airlines first launched the jet. Certification of the larger 737 MAX 10 had been expected by the end of September 2026, but a software problem paused the process.