Boeing has identified a previously undisclosed software glitch in some 737 MAX aircraft that can knock out automated flight guidance during a specific landing scenario, a disclosure that has put roughly 96 planes flying in India — operated by Air India Express and Akasa Air — under the spotlight.
The issue was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on September 26, citing company documents. According to the report, the glitch emerged from a cockpit software update and can occur when flight crews alter their planned flight path after a missed approach — the go-around manoeuvre used to abort a landing attempt. In that sequence, the flight management computer may drop the automated vertical navigation guidance pilots would normally expect, leaving them with a simpler level of automation for pitch control.
What Boeing and regulators say
Boeing told Reuters it had informed all 737 operators about the software issue last month, saying pilots "may not have access to automated flight guidance during a specific landing scenario." The planemaker said it reinforced existing pilot procedures for safely handling such cases and that its engineers are working on a software update to fix it permanently.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said it was aware of a potential issue in the software update for the flight computers on certain 737 MAX aircraft and was working closely with Boeing and the airlines. "The FAA will convene a Corrective Action Review Board and will take immediate action if it identifies a safety concern," the agency said in a statement.
The Journal also reported that Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have asked Boeing not to deliver new 737 MAX aircraft equipped with the affected software, requesting an earlier version instead.
The India angle
The disclosure directly touches nearly 100 narrow-body aircraft flying key domestic and regional routes in India. Air India Express operates roughly 53 Boeing 737 MAX jets, while Akasa Air operates roughly 43 — together, the 96 aircraft form the backbone of both airlines' fleets.
Akasa Air said it was coordinating closely with Boeing and that there was "no impact" on the safety of its operations, adding that its aircraft continued to fly in line with established procedures and applicable regulatory requirements. Boeing has stressed that the glitch does not disable the aircraft or prevent manual flying, and has advised pilots to manually reset the system after a missed approach as a precaution.
The episode adds to years of regulatory scrutiny of the MAX, following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 that grounded the fleet worldwide and the mid-air cabin panel blowout on a nearly new Alaska Airlines MAX 9.
Sources: Boeing flags 737 MAX software glitch affecting landing navigation feature (Deccan Herald / Reuters); 96 Indian Aircraft Affected as Boeing Identifies 737 MAX Autopilot Glitch (Republic World)
The issue was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on September 26, citing company documents. According to the report, the glitch emerged from a cockpit software update and can occur when flight crews alter their planned flight path after a missed approach — the go-around manoeuvre used to abort a landing attempt. In that sequence, the flight management computer may drop the automated vertical navigation guidance pilots would normally expect, leaving them with a simpler level of automation for pitch control.
What Boeing and regulators say
Boeing told Reuters it had informed all 737 operators about the software issue last month, saying pilots "may not have access to automated flight guidance during a specific landing scenario." The planemaker said it reinforced existing pilot procedures for safely handling such cases and that its engineers are working on a software update to fix it permanently.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said it was aware of a potential issue in the software update for the flight computers on certain 737 MAX aircraft and was working closely with Boeing and the airlines. "The FAA will convene a Corrective Action Review Board and will take immediate action if it identifies a safety concern," the agency said in a statement.
The Journal also reported that Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have asked Boeing not to deliver new 737 MAX aircraft equipped with the affected software, requesting an earlier version instead.
The India angle
The disclosure directly touches nearly 100 narrow-body aircraft flying key domestic and regional routes in India. Air India Express operates roughly 53 Boeing 737 MAX jets, while Akasa Air operates roughly 43 — together, the 96 aircraft form the backbone of both airlines' fleets.
Akasa Air said it was coordinating closely with Boeing and that there was "no impact" on the safety of its operations, adding that its aircraft continued to fly in line with established procedures and applicable regulatory requirements. Boeing has stressed that the glitch does not disable the aircraft or prevent manual flying, and has advised pilots to manually reset the system after a missed approach as a precaution.
The episode adds to years of regulatory scrutiny of the MAX, following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 that grounded the fleet worldwide and the mid-air cabin panel blowout on a nearly new Alaska Airlines MAX 9.
Sources: Boeing flags 737 MAX software glitch affecting landing navigation feature (Deccan Herald / Reuters); 96 Indian Aircraft Affected as Boeing Identifies 737 MAX Autopilot Glitch (Republic World)
