Boeing names Ackerman to lead certification process review, with eye toward next airliner
In his new role, Ackerman will help ‘shape a future-state certification model’, Boeing’s chief say.
Boeing has named veteran executive Doug Ackerman to a new position that involves assessing the company’s certification processes and helping prepare those processes for its next generation of aircraft.
Chief executive Kelly Ortberg disclosed the shift in a 30 September email to employees, saying Ackerman will become vice-president of corporate initiatives.
“In this new role, Doug will assist me in moving forward some of the most-important corporate initiatives that span our entire business and are critical to our future,” Ortberg’s message says. “Doug’s first assignment will help us take a hard look at how our certification system works across the company and what we need to do to make it stronger.”
Ackerman has since November 2024 been Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice-president of quality. He has worked at the company for more than 30 years.
The new job involves evaluating Boeing’s “processes, governance, training, management structure and behaviours to identify root causes of our inefficiencies and define a better path forward,” Ortberg says, noting the company seeks to “improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the certification system”.
Ackerman will help Boeing “shape a future-state certification model that supports the work in front of us today and the next generation of products we will build tomorrow,” Ortberg adds.
As vice-president of corporate initiatives, Ackerman will work closely with Boeing chief aerospace safety office Don Ruhmann, chief engineer Howard McKenzie, Boeing’s Organization Designation Authorization department – which performs certification work on behalf of the Federal Aviation Administration – as well as other industry leaders and regulators.
Ackerman will report to Ortberg. Boeing does not immediately respond to a request for more information.
The role shift comes as Boeing faces fresh hurdles in achieving FAA certifications for its 737 Max 10 and 777-9, and amid a broader push by the company to prepare for developing its next commercial aircraft.
On 28 September, FAA chief Bryan Bedford said the agency is “delaying” certification of the 737 Max 10 as it evaluates a newly disclosed issue affecting GE Aerospace-supplied flight management software.
Some in-service 737 Max 8s and 9s also have affected software, as do all 737 Max 7s, though none of those are yet in service. The FAA certificated the Max 7 – with the problematic software – in August.
Boeing is also behind in receiving approval from the FAA to begin extended twin-range operations (ETOPS) approval for the 777-9 due to a holdup involving a fix by GE to the “mid seal” in that jet’s GE9X turbofans.
On 8 September, Boeing said Sean Black will oversee aircraft design and production system development for the company’s next commercial aircraft. Black had formerly led the Wichita fuselage manufacturing site that Boeing acquired with its purchase of Spirit AeroSystems in December 2025.
Industry analysts expect Boeing and Airbus will each introduce new narrowbody jets in the late 2030s or early 2040s.
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