Boeing Addresses Issue with Automated Flight Guidance on 737 Aircraft

Boeing is addressing an issue affecting its 737 aircraft after identifying a problem where pilots might not have access to automated vertical flight guidance during a specific landing scenario. The company informed operators about this problem last month and shared information that reinforced existing pilot procedures for safely handling such situations.

The software issue can arise when a pilot changes the preprogrammed flight path following a missed approach, causing the aircraft's flight management computer software to transition from vertical navigation mode to a simpler level of automation for pitch control. If this occurs, pilots would need to perform additional procedural steps if they want to use automated vertical navigation on subsequent approaches.

Boeing emphasized that all pilots are trained to safely land an airplane without automated vertical navigation and that existing pilot training covers landing an aircraft without the automated system. The company is working under the US Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) oversight to complete a software update that will permanently address the issue.