Software problem delays approval of Boeing 737 Max 10
The US aviation regulator first wants to assess what a fault in the flight-management software means.
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Certification of the Boeing 737 Max 10 has been delayed again because of a software problem. The FAA will decide on approval only after the regulator has investigated the fault.
According to Boeing, the problem can occur in some 737 Max aircraft after an aborted landing. During a subsequent approach, an automated function for vertical navigation could then temporarily become unavailable. Pilots can continue the flight, but the software issue must be assessed before the new variant is approved.
The FAA has not yet given a timeframe for certification of the Max 10. The largest version of the 737 Max had appeared to be close to approval. According to dpa, Boeing has more than 1,500 orders for the aircraft, making the model commercially important to the manufacturer.
Boeing says it is working on a software update. According to reports, airlines Southwest and United have asked for new aircraft to be delivered temporarily with an earlier software version. That is an operational choice by the airlines and not an FAA decision on the safety of the Max 10.
The delay comes after years of additional oversight of Boeing. In August, the FAA approved the smaller Max 7 after imposing additional requirements concerning, among other things, flight-control software, cockpit warnings and the engine anti-icing system. Inspectors remain present at production sites, according to the regulator.
The Max 10 is the largest variant in the 737 Max family. With the aircraft, Boeing is seeking to serve a significant share of the narrow-body passenger-aircraft market, where it competes with Airbus. Any delay therefore affects not only the manufacturer but also airlines basing their fleet planning on new aircraft.
The current notice does not mean that all 737 Max aircraft are grounded. It concerns a software issue affecting certification of a new variant. The FAA still has to establish exactly which aircraft, software versions and procedures fall within the investigation.
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This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The text confines itself to the reported software issue and its implications for certification. Context on the Max 7 and FAA oversight was checked against official sources.
- confirmed The FAA is postponing the certification decision on the Max 10 for further investigation. — Reported by dpa on the basis of statements by FAA head Bryan Bedford. source
- confirmed The problem concerns automated vertical navigation after an aborted landing. — The technical description appears in the dpa report. source
- confirmed The Max 10 has more than 1,500 orders. — Mentioned in the dpa report. source
- confirmed The FAA approved the Max 7 in August after imposing additional safety requirements. — Official FAA statement of 3 August 2026. source
- confirmed Not all 737 Max aircraft have been grounded because of this notice. — The reports concern certification of the new Max 10; no general flight ban has been reported. source
Editor's note
The software fault and the postponed assessment have been confirmed. The exact technical scope and the new certification date remain unknown.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „boeing 737 max”
- Het Parool — „boeing 737 max”
- NRC — „boeing 737 max”