Overview
- Boeing disclosed in late September that a software fault can make automated vertical and approach navigation temporarily unavailable after an aborted landing attempt.
- Company documents show Boeing was first alerted to the issue in November 2024 and informed operators about the problem in August 2026.
- Boeing says pilots are trained to fly manual approaches, that the affected function can be re-enabled by following specific procedural steps, and that engineers are working on a software update to fix the bug.
- Major U.S. carriers including Southwest and United have asked Boeing not to accept deliveries of new 737 MAX jets with the affected software and requested an earlier software version instead.
- The fault intensifies regulatory and commercial pressure on Boeing given the 737 MAX’s past crashes and quality incidents, and it could raise pilot workload on final approach, slow deliveries, and prompt tighter FAA scrutiny.