US FAA: Approach to aviation safety is performance-based, proactive and risk centered

29 March, 2019

US FAA acting administrator Dan Elwell said the agency's approach to aviation safety has been "performance-based, proactive, centred on managing risk, and focused on continuous improvement" and the approach of delegating aspect of some oversight and certification authority has not "diminished" its role as a safety regulator (Reuters/FOX Business/ATW Online, 28-Mar-2019). In prepared remarks to the US Senate sub-committee on transportation, Mr Elwell said the FAA holds responsibility for "determining that the applicant has shown that the overall design meets the safety standards and remains "directly involved" in the certification of new aircraft features and does not allow self-certification. Mr Elwell emphasised the agency followed standard procedures during the certification of the Boeing 737 MAX, and the agency will only lift the grounding when "analysis of the facts and technical data indicate that it is appropriate".