Boeing 737 MAX

Used to illustrate that under FAA's STC delegation, the certifying manufacturer (Boeing) takes the heat for failures of certified components — not the FAA.

That long discussion still applies to additive manufacturing parts. Unless Boeing is certifying them — which in this case with Digital Alloys, Boeing is going to certify the parts under the STC, the supplemental type certificate that they hold. If Boeing certifies to the FAA that these titanium additive manufacturing parts are good, the FAA is going to say fine, you're responsible, you're taking the risk. If the plane comes down because of it, you're going to take the heat. And guess what's happening on the 737 Max? The FAA is not taking the heat — well, they've taken a little heat, but mostly it's Boeing, right, because they approved it.