A software glitch affecting Boeing Co. 737 Max aircraft was determined not to pose a safety concern by a Federal Aviation Administration panel, a positive outcome for the US planemaker seeking regulatory approval for the largest variant of the popular narrowbody family. The FAA's Corrective Action Review Board made the determination “because pilots retain full control of the aircraft and the indications to the flight crew are clear and unambiguous,” the agency said in a statement. The FAA said it will consider further actions as needed.
Boeing shares pared a gain of as much as 2.4% in intraday trading to close up 0.7% on Friday. The stock has fallen 11% this year, trailing the 13% advance in the S&P 500 Index.
The FAA review board was convened to look into the software issue, which can occur when a pilot needs to abort a landing attempt, forcing the autopilot into a simpler level of automation for pitch control. That increases the crew's workload in comparison with the standard mode.
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An FAA official said Boeing will issue a bulletin to airlines about responding to situations where the malfunction occurs. The agency will also issue a special airworthiness information bulletin to US carriers and foreign regulators to ensure they're aware of Boeing's bulletin, the official said.
“We will continue to follow the lead of the FAA as our engineers work on the next software update,” Boeing said in a statement. The planemaker added that it will work directly with airlines on a procedure to allow pilots to re-enable the automated navigation system, should the error occur.
A spokesperson for GE Aerospace, which supplies the software, said the company supports the FAA's decision and will continue to work closely with Boeing on the update.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said earlier in the week that the agency would delay certification of Boeing's 737 Max 10 until it made a determination on whether the bug posed a safety risk. The agency certified the smaller Max 7 variant in August with the affected software.
The Max 10 is already years behind schedule and is central to helping Boeing generate cash and improve its balance sheet. Orders for the aircraft currently exceed 1,500 units.
The software issue blemished an otherwise positive run for the company of late. The planemaker reached an agreement with its unionized white-collar workers Thursday to avert a costly strike and beat Northrop Grumman Corp. for a contract to produce the Navy's next fighter jet.
Boeing has also received praise, including from President Donald Trump, for the structural integrity of its 737 Max aircraft after one operated by FlyDubai took a harrowing nosedive when a pilot stabbed his colleague in a possible attempt to crash the plane.
Boeing customers Southwest Airlines Co., United Airlines Holdings Inc., American Airlines Group Inc. and Alaska Air Group Inc. have said they don't fly any aircraft with the faulty software version.
United also has said it's not taking deliveries of new aircraft with the glitch, while Southwest previously said recent and upcoming deliveries of Max 8 models won't be equipped with the malfunctioning software.
On Friday, Southwest said it remains in close contact with the FAA and Boeing. “We appreciate the Safety panel's review and will work closely with our regulator and the manufacturer to ensure the airline is taking the appropriate steps to address this issue,” the airline said in a statement.
United didn't return a request for comment following Friday's determination.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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