The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a delay in certifying Boeing’s 737 Max 10 due to a newly discovered software glitch. This issue, flagged by Boeing last month, pertains to the airplane’s vertical navigation system and could interrupt automated landing guidance during a go-around scenario, where pilots must abort a landing attempt to try again. The FAA has emphasized that safety concerns are the priority and the certification will only proceed once the glitch is fully assessed and resolved.

Boeing had anticipated receiving FAA approval for the Max 10 model, the final variant in the 737 Max family awaiting certification, within weeks. The company previously aimed to start delivering these aircraft in 2020 but encountered several delays following safety crises involving earlier Max models. According to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, although pilots are trained to handle situations like missed approaches, the current concern involves the added workload placed on pilots because of this software bug rather than a loss of control.

The glitch emerged after Boeing updated software for several 737 Max airplanes, with the FAA noting the company had fixed a previous bug but inadvertently introduced this new one. While this issue affects newer software versions, airlines currently using the Max fleet can revert to older, unaffected software if necessary. The FAA’s review process continues to prioritize safety, and the agency has not ruled out taking further action depending on the outcome of its investigation.

Boeing’s shares dropped nearly 7% following the announcement as the delay adds to the challenges the manufacturer has faced in regaining trust after the 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019. Boeing remains in coordination with regulators to complete the certification process, but this software problem signals another hurdle before the Max 10 enters service. Meanwhile, recent certification of the Max 7, a smaller Max variant, offers some progress for the 737 program, with deliveries proceeding to customers such as Southwest Airlines.