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In the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation hearing today on the Boeing 737 MAX, @RepBalderson started this disingenuous exchange: 
The fact is that the aircraft was 2 months over the 5 year time limit allowed for type certifications of transport-class aircraft (aka FAR Part 25)
Once 5 years is up, the manufacturer needs to apply for an extension, at which point they have to meet any updated regs (see 👇🏽)
Once 5 years is up, the manufacturer needs to apply for an extension, at which point they have to meet any updated regs (see 👇🏽)
That means if any new design specs or testing conditions have been added to new certifications over the past 5 years, like additional redundant systems, the manufacturer will have to go back and make those changes to the new design... increasing cost significantly.
So, when you don't want to have to comply with new regs, unscrupulous executives do whatever it takes to push along the approval process during that last few months... and if that means taking shortcuts that cost lives, especially if it's only in "shithole countries," so be it.
Note: it's been 20+ years since I dug deep into the FARs, so if my understanding of the timeframe for type certs applying to amending type certs is in error, please feel free to point to documentation that corrects any misconceptions...
But if my recollection is correct, that means that Boeing would have been rushing to gain certification before the type certificate period expired - with a new administration of grifters in office, as willing to stretch the bounds of credulity about airworthiness as crowd size.
And I'd suggest interested journalists look for any odd patterns of stock transfers or donations to the Trump inaugural, campaign, and/or administration-linked individuals that involve Boeing or its executives...
