FAA Clears 737 MAX Jets Amid Concerns Over Landing Software Glitch

Boeing's 737 MAX jets have been cleared for commercial use by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but a glitch in some of the aircraft's software has raised concerns about landing procedures.

According to internal documents cited by the Wall Street Journal, the glitch could cause the automated flight guidance system to disengage during landings, potentially impacting planes' ability to maintain preset altitudes.

The issue is reportedly most pronounced in software systems that allow for automatic altitude control during landing, but Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, and United have all confirmed that their 737 MAX fleets do not use the affected version of the software.

Boeing acknowledged the glitch last month, informing operators about a potential issue with automated flight guidance during landings. The company has stated that pilots are trained to handle such cases safely without relying on vertical navigation systems impacted by the glitch, and engineers are working on a software update to address the problem permanently.