The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to certify Boeing’s new 737 MAX 10 jet as soon as next week, despite the airliner still facing software-related issues, online aviation publication Simple Flying reported on Saturday.
The report follows a successful final type certification board meeting on Friday, according to another online aviation publication, The Air Current, which said the FAA ruled that the software issues do not pose a risk to flight safety.
Specifically, the issues involve a software glitch during the aircraft’s go-around procedure, when a plane aborts a landing, gains altitude, and “goes around” for another attempt.
According to Simple Flying, a flaw in the aircraft’s flight management computer (FMC) software could cause the autopilot to partially disengage during the procedure, leading the aircraft to deviate from its flight path and forcing pilots to suddenly take manual control during a critical phase of flight.
However, since pilots would still technically be in control of the aircraft, the FAA determined that the issue was not substantial enough to delay certification, Simple Flying noted, and issued a non-mandatory Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB), permitting certification with the glitch still unaddressed.
Boeing knew of issue since 2024, did not inform buyers until 2026
Canadian carrier WestJet, the MAX 10 launch customer, informed Boeing of the issue after a November 2024 test flight, Simple Flying reported, though the US aircraft maker did not inform other customers of the problem for nearly two years. Several buyers reportedly told Boeing that they would refuse delivery of any aircraft fitted with the software containing the glitch.
The FMC software, known as U14, updates the previous U13 software, which was introduced alongside the original 737 MAX at its debut in 2017. US carriers United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Alaska Airlines told The Air Current they preferred U13 to U14, calling the older version the “lesser of the two evils.”
The airlines’ preference for U13 comes despite the software having been in place at the time of the 737 MAX’s two fatal crashes in October 2018 and March 2019, killing a total of 346 people. The cause of both crashes was a separate software issue related to the aircraft’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which was addressed amid the grounding of the entire global 737 MAX fleet from shortly after the second crash until December 2021.
The 737 MAX, the latest iteration of Boeing’s 737 aircraft family, also faced additional issues during its seven years in commercial service (accounting for the grounding), ranging from cabin seat flaws and fuselage cracks to a decompression-causing door-plug blowout.
United 'not taking deliveries of new aircraft' with U14 software
United Airlines told Simple Flying in September that it is “not taking deliveries of new aircraft” with U14 installed, meaning the airline will not accept deliveries of the new MAX 10 or MAX 7 variants, with the MAX 7 certified in August. While the new variants currently run only on U14, the older variants, the MAX 8 and MAX 9, can run on both U14 and U13.
United’s statement carries weight for Boeing, as the carrier is the largest buyer of the MAX 10, with 167 firm orders. The carrier has made substantial investments in its current MAX fleet and has recently begun a program to install Starlink internet hardware on its Guam-based MAX 8 fleet, according to the airline’s website.
The company is also expanding its MAX 8 route network, adding a flight from its Newark, New Jersey, hub to Terceira, Portugal, in mid to late 2027, the same year United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby expects the first MAX 10 deliveries, according to an August statement.
Based on the airline’s more recent statement to Simple Flying about the U14 software, the delivery date may change, with a Boeing fix for U14 only expected in 2028.