FAA Clears Way for Certification of Boeing 737 MAX 10 Amid Software Concerns

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cleared the way for the certification of Boeing's 737 MAX 10, the largest variant of the best-selling narrow-body jet.

The decision comes after a panel of experts determined that a software glitch in some Boeing 737 MAX flight computers poses no safety concern. The glitch could potentially prevent pilots from accessing automated flight guidance during an unusual landing scenario, but pilots would still retain full control of the aircraft and receive clear indications to the flight crew.

The FAA had delayed certification of the MAX 10 earlier this week while it completed an analysis of the software issue. Boeing said it will continue to follow the lead of the FAA as its engineers work on the next software update, which will allow pilots to re-enable automated vertical navigation in case of a situation where they need to do so.

Airline officials now believe the MAX 10 could be certified as soon as later this month. Jefferies estimated that Boeing has nearly 1,500 MAX 10s on order from airlines.