By David Shepardson and Allison Lampert
WASHINGTON/MONTREAL, Feb 10 (Reuters) – The head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday he expected Canada would announce it was certifying some Gulfstream business jets that had been delayed for years, resolving an issue highlighted by President Donald Trump.
“I think we’ve resolved the issues with Canada,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told reporters on Capitol Hill after a meeting with lawmakers. “My understanding is Transport Canada will announce the Gulfstream certifications that have been delayed for years.”
Bedford said he expected Canada would announce the certifications for the planes produced by the U.S. private jetmaker later this week.
Transport Canada said it was continuing to work with Gulfstream and the FAA on certification of the business jets.
Last month, Trump said in a social media post that the U.S. was planning to decertify Canadian-made Bombardier Global Express business jets and threatened 50% import tariffs on all aircraft made in Canada until the country’s regulator certified a number of planes produced by U.S. rival Gulfstream.
General Dynamics-owned Gulfstream did not respond to a request for comment, while its rival Bombardier declined comment.
Aircraft certification is normally done on the basis of safety and not linked to politics or trade issues.
Richard Aboulafia, managing director of Aerodynamic Advisory, said the timing of Canada’s expected certification of Gulfstream jets “might be coincidental, but aircraft certification should not be politicized or connected to economic incentives.”
Trump’s declaration came amid broader tensions between the neighboring countries after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, citing U.S. trade policy, urged nations to accept the end of the rules-based global order that Washington had once championed.
Trump also said he was planning on “decertifying their Bombardier Global Expresses, and all Aircraft made in Canada” until the Gulfstream planes were certified.
That threat, if carried out, would have had a drastic impact on U.S. carriers like American Airlines and Delta Air Lines that rely on Canadian-made airplanes for many of their regional services.
Airline officials said if the U.S. could decertify airplanes for economic reasons, it would give other countries a powerful weapon and could put the entire aviation system at risk.
Canadian officials said last month they were working to resolve the aircraft certification dispute with Trump.
Trump has also used threats to try to resolve other issues with Canada. On Monday, he threatened to not allow a $4.7 billion bridge between Detroit and Canada from opening unless Canada agreed to trade talks.
(Reporting by David Shepardson and Allison Lampert; Editing by Jamie Freed)
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