Washington, DC. Sept. 3 – The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to convene a review of a Boeing 737 MAX software issue on Friday, examining a condition that could prevent pilots from accessing automated flight guidance during one landing scenario. The agency will hold a Corrective Action Review Board session to assess the software problem on the Boeing 737 MAX family. This FAA review of the Boeing 737 MAX software issue follows the agency’s decision to delay certification of the 737 MAX 10 until its analysis is complete.
Airline officials who met with Boeing on Wednesday indicated they do not expect the Corrective Action Review Board to identify a safety concern. If the board clears the aircraft, certification of the Boeing 737 MAX 10 could occur later this month. The software version under review can increase pilot workload during a go-around, when a pilot aborts a landing, applies power, and climbs to attempt another approach.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that he does not currently see a safety concern from the Boeing 737 MAX software issue and that the FAA sees no need to ground the fleet. He compared the planned software update to a routine smartphone revision and noted that it has not been flagged as a safety issue. Boeing informed operators on Saturday that it is developing a software update to permanently address the problem and may propose additional pilot training.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that he does not currently see a safety concern from the Boeing 737 MAX software issue and that the FAA sees no need to ground the fleet. He compared the planned software update to a routine smartphone revision and noted that it has not been flagged as a safety issue. Boeing informed operators on Saturday that it is developing a software update to permanently address the problem and may propose additional pilot training.