FAA: Software Glitch Will Delay 737 Max 10 Certification

Administrator Bryan Bedford says aircraft are safe but that approval will be delayed ‘until we’re satisfied that we don’t have an issue.’

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at 11:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The Max 10, the largest member of Boeing’s 737 Max family, completed certification flight testing in July. [Credit: Boeing/Ryan Coe]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has delayed certification of Boeing’s 737 Max 10 due to a newly reported software glitch in the aircraft's flight management computer.
The glitch causes the automated flight guidance system to revert to basic pitch control during specific missed approach scenarios, potentially increasing pilot workload, though pilots retain control and are trained for such events.
While Boeing asserts the issue does not pose a safety concern and existing Max aircraft are deemed safe, the FAA is conducting a review to determine if the glitch is a "safety of flight issue" before proceeding with certification.

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FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said Monday that the agency will delay certification of Boeing’s 737 Max 10 as it works to determine whether a newly reported software glitch “is a safety of flight issue or not.” Certification of the Max 10 was expected as soon as this month, but Bedford said that will not happen “until we’re satisfied that we don’t have an issue.”

The Wall Street Journal, which was first to report the glitch on Saturday, said it emerged from a software update developed by GE Aerospace for the 737 Max flight management computer’s (FMC) operating system. The issue reportedly manifests when a pilot flying a precision approach with autopilot engaged initiates a missed approach. The malfunction causes the jet’s automated flight guidance system to incorrectly drop from VNAV to basic pitch control—which requires the pilots to handle pitch and navigation adjustments—if the preprogrammed flight plan is changed.