Boeing 737 Max 10 faces fresh software issue ahead of certification
A software version under FAA review can leave automatic vertical guidance unavailable in a specific go-around scenario, potentially complicating the 737 Max 10's certification timeline. Southwest and United have reportedly asked Boeing for an earlier software version instead.
Boeing 737 (all variants)Boeing 737 (all variants)
Boeing's 737 Max 10 was close to a long-delayed certification milestone when a software issue caught the attention of US regulators. Certification flight testing finished at the end of July. In mid-September, chief executive Kelly Ortberg said only three items remained open in Boeing's submissions to the Federal Aviation Administration. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has also been flying the aircraft.
The FAA is looking at a software version in which automatic vertical flight guidance may be unavailable in one scenario: a go-around followed by the cockpit crew altering the planned flight route. Boeing told operators about the problem last month and pointed to existing pilot procedures while it develops an update meant to fix it permanently.
The smaller 737 Max 7 was certified in August with the potentially affected software, and its first deliveries are being prepared. More than 1,400 Max 10s have been ordered.
Southwest Airlines and United Airlines do not want to take new 737 Max aircraft with that software version and have asked Boeing for an earlier version. How many aircraft already in service carry the affected software is not yet known. Whether the issue is a genuine safety problem remains unresolved in the source account.
Sources
- aerotelegraph.comBoeing 737 Max 10 bekommt kurz vor Zulassung neues Softwareproblem