The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday that its Corrective Action Review Board had completed an assessment of the problem and concluded that pilots retain full control of the aircraft if the anomaly occurs. The agency said flight crews receive clear and unambiguous cockpit indications, enabling them to recognise and manage the condition.
The finding is significant for Boeing because the FAA had paused certification work on the 737 Max 10, the largest member of the Max family, while it examined whether the software defect required further regulatory action. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford had said earlier this week that approval of the Max 10 would be delayed until the agency understood the issue and determined appropriate remedies.
The glitch involves flight-management computer software supplied by GE Aerospace and can emerge during a specific sequence following a missed approach, or go-around. If pilots are conducting a precision approach with the autopilot engaged and subsequently change the programmed flight path, the aircraft’s vertical navigation function can disengage and revert to a simpler form of automated pitch control.
That change does not deprive pilots of control, but it can increase cockpit workload at a demanding stage of flight. The FAA’s review was therefore focused on whether the condition met the threshold for a safety-of-flight issue requiring mandatory corrective measures.
The regulator’s determination means it does not regard the anomaly as requiring the kind of immediate intervention that would accompany an unsafe condition. The FAA is expected instead to issue a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin providing operators with information about the problem. Such bulletins generally contain non-mandatory guidance and recommendations rather than legally enforceable requirements.
Boeing is also preparing guidance for airlines explaining how crews can identify and respond to the anomaly. The planemaker has been working on a software change intended to eliminate the problem, while providing operators with procedures that can restore automated vertical navigation if the condition is encountered.
The issue affects versions 14 and 14.1 of the flight-management computer software. Boeing had notified operators about the anomaly in August, after it had been identified through operational experience. WestJet pilots first encountered the problem during an entry-into-service validation flight in 2024 and supplied information to Boeing that helped document the behaviour.
Several large US operators had already chosen not to use the affected software. Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines said their aircraft were not operating with the faulty version, while United had also said it would not accept deliveries fitted with it. Allegiant Air has aircraft carrying the software but has said the issue does not apply to its operations.
The review carried particular importance because the same software was used in certification work involving the Max 7 and Max 10. The FAA certified the Max 7 in August, while the Max 10 remains in the approval process. The latest ruling removes the specific concern that the software anomaly itself could force a broader safety intervention, although certification of the Max 10 still depends on completion of the regulator’s remaining requirements.
The Max 10 is a key part of Boeing’s commercial aircraft backlog, with more than 1,500 orders, and its certification has already taken longer than the company originally anticipated. Airlines have been awaiting the larger model to add capacity while retaining commonality with other 737 variants.
The FAA’s handling of the issue also reflects heightened scrutiny of Boeing’s certification and production systems. The regulator has maintained increased oversight of the manufacturer following quality-control problems and has required evidence of sustained production improvements before relaxing some restrictions.
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