Boeing 737 MAX Software Issue Puts MAX 10 Certification on Hold as FAA Reviews Go-Around Flight Guidance
AeroMorning – John Smith — September 29, 2026
Boeing’s long-awaited 737 MAX 10 certification has been
delayed after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began a formal
review of a software issue affecting automated flight guidance during a
specific go-around scenario.
The issue concerns the Flight Management Computer (FMC) and
the aircraft’s Vertical Navigation (VNAV) function. Boeing has told 737
operators about the problem and is developing a permanent software fix. The
FAA, meanwhile, has convened a Corrective Action Review Board (CARB) to
determine whether additional corrective action is required.
The development comes only days after Boeing said that
certification of the 737-10 was entering its final stage.
What exactly is the problem?
The issue does not involve a conventional failure of the
autopilot.
The affected software is associated with the aircraft’s Flight
Management System (FMS) and, specifically, the FMC’s management of the vertical
flight path.
In a relatively unusual sequence of events, an aircraft can
be conducting a precision approach with the autopilot engaged, initiate a
missed approach or go-around, and then have the flight crew modify the
pre-programmed flight path. Under those circumstances, the software can cause VNAV
to disengage and the aircraft to transition to a less sophisticated form of
automated pitch guidance.
VNAV is the function that manages the aircraft’s programmed
vertical profile, including altitude constraints and the vertical path
associated with the flight plan.
Importantly, this does not mean that the aircraft becomes
uncontrollable or that the autopilot necessarily disconnects. Rather, the crew
may lose the expected VNAV guidance and have to manage the aircraft using
another available pitch-control mode or manually.
The consequence is therefore primarily an increase in pilot
workload during a go-around, a phase of flight in which crews are already
managing configuration, thrust, altitude, navigation and air-traffic-control
instructions.
Boeing has told operators that existing flightcrew
procedures allow pilots to manage the condition and said that its engineers are
working on a permanent software update.
What does the FAA say?
The FAA confirmed the issue in a statement reported on September
26, 2026:
“The FAA is aware of a potential issue in a software
update for the flight computers on certain Boeing 737 MAX airplanes and is
working closely with Boeing and the airlines.”
The agency added that it would convene a Corrective Action
Review Board (CARB) and would take immediate action if the review identified a
safety concern.
This is consistent with the FAA’s certification approach:
the agency does not simply rely on a manufacturer’s assessment when a
potentially safety-significant issue emerges. The FAA’s certification process
specifically examines areas including flight controls, system safety, human
factors and flightcrew alerting. The agency highlighted these areas when it
certified the 737 MAX 7 on August 3, 2026.
The MAX 10 certification is now delayed
The timing is particularly significant for the 737 MAX 10.
On September 16, 2026, Boeing President and CEO Kelly
Ortberg said that the 737-10 was very close to certification. Boeing said
flight testing had been completed and that the remaining work was primarily
documentation with the FAA.
That timetable changed after the software issue became
public.
On September 28, 2026, FAA Administrator Bryan
Bedford confirmed that certification of the MAX 10 would be delayed while
the agency evaluates the issue.
The FAA has not announced a definitive duration for the
delay. The agency must first determine whether the software behavior requires a
change to the aircraft, its software, operating procedures or other
certification documentation.
Which aircraft are affected?
The issue is associated with newer versions of the 737 MAX
flight-management computer software, identified in reporting as versions 14 and
14.1.
The affected software is relevant to the 737 MAX 7 and 737
MAX 10, including aircraft involved in the certification and flight-test
programs.
The situation is more complicated for aircraft already in
airline service.
Several major U.S. operators mentioned that their in-service
MAX fleets do not use the software versions in question. Alaska Airlines,
American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines all reported that
their current MAX aircraft were not using the affected versions.
However, the issue is not limited to aircraft still under
development. Boeing has informed operators of the software behavior, and at
least some airlines have requested that newly delivered aircraft not be
equipped with the affected software version. Southwest and United, for example,
have indicated that they would accept aircraft with an earlier software version
instead.
Why does this matter for the MAX 10?
A go-around is a particularly sensitive phase of flight. The
aircraft is close to the ground, the crew is changing from an approach
configuration to a climb configuration, and the navigation and flight guidance
system must transition from the approach to the published missed-approach
procedure.
The fact that VNAV can become unavailable under a particular
sequence means that the FAA must determine whether the existing design and
procedures provide an adequate level of safety.
That assessment is precisely what the FAA’s CARB process is
intended to address.
A problem known to Boeing before 2026
According to reporting based on information provided to CBS
News, Boeing was first informed of the behavior by an airline in November 2024.
Boeing subsequently reviewed the issue and determined in February
2025 that it did not constitute a safety issue. Further information later led
to additional review, with the matter ultimately being brought to the attention
of the FAA in 2026.
Boeing’s current position is that existing procedures allow
crews to manage the situation and that the company is developing a permanent
software correction. The FAA, however, has decided that it needs to conduct its
own formal assessment before allowing the certification process for the MAX 10
to proceed to completion.
What happens next?
The immediate question is whether the FAA considers the
software behavior sufficiently controlled by existing procedures or whether
Boeing must introduce a software or design change before certification.
Possible corrective measures could include a software
update, revised operational procedures, additional crew guidance or a
combination of these measures.
The FAA has not yet given a firm timetable for completing
its review.
For Boeing, the timing is significant. The company had just
announced that the 737-10 was approaching certification, with flight testing
completed. The newly disclosed software issue has therefore introduced an
additional regulatory step at the very end of the certification process.
Sources and official statements
- FAA
— September 26, 2026: statement confirming the potential software
issue affecting certain 737 MAX flight computers and announcing the CARB
review. - FAA
— August 3, 2026: certification statement for the 737 MAX 7,
describing the agency’s review of flight controls, system safety and human
factors. - Boeing
— September 16, 2026: CEO Kelly Ortberg says the 737-10 is approaching
certification, with flight testing completed. - FAA
Administrator Bryan Bedford — September 28, 2026: certification of the
737-10 will be delayed until the agency is satisfied that the software
issue has been adequately addressed.
