Boeing's 737 MAX Certification Delayed by New Software Glitch

A potential setback has emerged for Boeing's efforts to bring its 737 MAX variants into commercial service. A software issue affecting versions 14 and 14.1 of the flight management computer's software has been identified as a possible safety concern.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is reviewing the problem, which can increase pilot workload during a specific missed-approach scenario. The issue involves the aircraft's vertical navigation system (VNAV), which helps manage altitude along a programmed flight path.

Pilots are trained to fly the aircraft safely without VNAV, but the loss of automated pitch control can increase their workload at a critical point in a flight. Boeing has informed operators about the problem and issued guidance reinforcing existing procedures for handling it.

The FAA will convene a Corrective Action Review Board to determine whether the software issue represents a flight-safety concern. If confirmed, this could lead to further certification delays for the 737 MAX 10, which is the largest member of the 737 family and important to Boeing's efforts to address a large backlog of narrowbody orders.