[jimktrains2]

Wouldn't a better point of view be: shouldn't we reëvaluate the items that allow self-certification and fund the FAA properly so that they can certify medium/large change themselves instead of letting the manufacturer?

Self-certification has a place, but it should always be accompanied by random checks and shouldn't be for anything large, critical, or first time through.

Edit: Better in that it helps solve what is largely a political and not an engineering problem.