The 737 has had 14 major recertifications. The aircraft today looks/behaves nothing like the original from the 1960s.

The main motivation for recertifications comes from commercial pressure where if a aircraft is given a new number and not recertified, then the pilots have to be retrained.

Honestly, back when the 737 MAX debacle happened, a lot of consumers claimed that they would stop flying aircrafts if they ran into 737 MAXs. And I don't think it happened in enough numbers - or even enough to make news. Sales went through the roof, everything kept working.

Recertifications are very common. The issue really is is the aircraft is AS different and untested as the old MAXs, and I really can't see that happening again in the next decade or two atleast.

Just to comprehend this a bit better - it sounds like the FAA had stripped Boeing of the ability to self-recertify and actually sent inspectors for the most recent certifications. After several successful certifications and what would appear, to the inspectors, to be real process improvements, they're now re-granting Boeing the ability to self-recertify when self-recertification is allowed?

This is well outside my knowledge domain so I'm not trying to make any statements on whether this was correct, but rather to better comprehend the change.

This is absolutely frightening.

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Who gave whom a golden airplane ... totally worth it, for them at least.

All I read is that the US govt signs on off US export. I'd be surprised if there was not pressure on FAA to lower the bar.

Until the next mass crash ...

The EU should refuse to allow such planes to enter their airspace.

Totally insane. Repeating the same errors as in the past and hoping for a better outcome... Only corruption can explain that...