Technology and Science · updated 1h ago · 3 min read
Boeing Works To Fix 737 MAX Flight Guidance Glitch Ahead Of 737-10 FAA Approval
Boeing flagged a software glitch causing disengagement of automated guidance during missed approaches on certain 737 MAX jets. FAA investigating; will act immediately if safety concerns arise; Boeing updating software with FAA.
12 outlets told this the same way.
10 of 12 outlets skipped it: boeing expects fix roll-out in 2028 but now tries to accelerate.
12outlets compared
Missed-approach guidance glitch
Boeing is working to correct a flaw in the 737's automated flight guidance software that, in the case of a landing missed approach, forces the crew to resort to manual control or secondary pitch control modes. Boeing said it informed all 737 operators about a software issue where pilots may not have access to automated flight guidance during a specific landing scenario, and Boeing said its engineers are working on a software update to permanently address the issue. Boeing said the navigation issue comes as the company prepares to begin deliveries of the recently certified 737-7 and secure the long-delayed FAA approval for the stretched 737-10, the final version of the MAX family.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the problem and could take action if necessary, and Boeing is working under the FAA's oversight to complete the software update. Boeing said the flight management computer software issue may result in the flight guidance system incorrectly transitioning from VNAV (vertical navigation) mode to a simpler, more rudimentary level of automation for pitch control, like level-change or vertical speed.
Airlines push for older software
Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have requested that Boeing pause deliveries of 737s with the flawed software, while they would take deliveries of aircraft with the earlier version of the software. Boeing told operators that it shared information with operators that reinforced existing pilot procedures for safely handling such cases, and Boeing said its engineers are working on a software update to permanently address the issue. The Federal Aviation Administration said it will convene a Corrective Action Review Board and will take immediate action if it identifies a safety concern, and the FAA told CBS News it is aware of a potential issue in a software update for the flight computers on certain Boeing 737 MAX airplanes.
Alaska Airlines said it is aware of the software issue and is engaged with Boeing and the FAA, and Alaska Airlines said it expects the MAX 10 to receive regulatory approval soon. Boeing told operators in August that it expected to issue further guidelines by November and develop a permanent fix by early 2028, and Boeing said it is trying to accelerate both timelines.
Certification and delivery stakes
The FAA review could further delay the certification of the 737 Max 10, the fourth and largest variant of the Max, and the issue could also delay deliveries of the recently certified 737 Max 7. Boeing said it is working directly with airlines to formalize a procedure that will allow pilots to re-enable automated VNAV should the situation occur, and Boeing said pilots are trained to safely land an airplane without automated vertical navigation. The Seattle Times said Boeing expects to roll out a new version in 2028 but is now working to accelerate that timeline, and the Seattle Times said the software issue appears to only affect the latest version of the flight management computer’s software.
The Seattle Times said Alaska Airlines is aware of the software issue and does not operate any MAX planes with the affected version, and the Seattle Times said it is not clear if the issue will impact future 737 MAX deliveries or pending regulatory certification of Boeing’s long-delayed MAX 10. The issue also arrives as Boeing seeks federal approval for the fourth and final model in its best-selling aircraft family, and CNBC said the FAA certified the Max 7 in early August with the newest software installed.