A growing number of aviation specialists are issuing strong warnings about the mounting political influence over aircraft certification processes, emphasizing that transforming a technical and safety-driven system into a political instrument could jeopardize international air travel as a whole. At its core, certification is not merely a bureaucratic procedure—it represents a complex, globally coordinated assurance that every aircraft meets rigorous engineering, maintenance, and operational standards set through decades of shared expertise. When leaders or policymakers threaten to decertify aircraft from foreign manufacturers as a tactic in trade or political disputes, they risk shattering the fragile web of mutual recognition agreements that allows airplanes to operate seamlessly across borders.
Aviation safety does not exist in isolation; it depends fundamentally on cooperation between nations, regulatory transparency, and mutual trust between civil authorities. If one major aviation power undermines these agreements for political advantage, the consequences could ripple across the global industry: airlines might face grounding of fleets, passengers could lose confidence, and maintenance and certification networks—currently built on reciprocity—could collapse into fragmentation. Examples from past trade disputes have already demonstrated how even minor disruptions in regulatory alignment can lead to operational delays and economic losses measured in billions. The situation becomes exponentially more dangerous when safety itself is drawn into the crossfire of such political conflicts.
Therefore, experts are appealing for calm, rational dialogue and the reaffirmation of cooperative frameworks that prioritize public safety above nationalism or protectionism. In their view, the stability of international aviation is like the atmosphere through which every aircraft flies—shared, interconnected, and dependent on mutual respect. Turning certification into a tool of intimidation or political leverage, they argue, would jeopardize not only market stability but also the lives of countless passengers who depend on a system founded on trust. In short, the future of flight safety requires diplomacy, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to science over rhetoric.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/canadian-planes-rj-bombardier-trump-gulfstream-tariff-threat-faa-safety-2026-1
