FAA To Create New Branch In Response To 737 MAX Crashes Written 11 December 2019

The Washington (DC) Post reports that Mel Johnson, Deputy Director of Policy and Innovation for the FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service, sent an internal email to employees in the FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service. The email said that the FAA will create an Aircraft Certification Safety Program Management Branch. While the email “does not mention the Max directly,” it indicated that “recent accidents and incidents have highlighted the need to better unify and manage our response.” Johnson wrote in his email, “[A] need remains to ensure our strategic safety planning, direction, and program implementation are better integrated.” Mike Reinert will lead the branch for six months as the “temporary aircraft certification safety program manager.” Agency officials have said that the agency will take the results of several inquiries set up to examine the FAA’s handling of the 737 MAX into consideration, “including one set up by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.”
Full Story (Washington Post)