Boeing said the software issue, which affects certain 737 MAX aircraft, could prevent pilots from accessing automated flight guidance during a specific landing scenario. The company has informed operators and is developing a permanent software update.
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FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said certification of the MAX 10 would remain on hold until regulators were satisfied that the problem had been addressed.
“We will be delaying the 10 until we’re satisfied that we don’t have an issue here,” Bedford told reporters at Reagan Washington National Airport.
He did not provide an estimate for how long the delay could last.
According to Bedford, the software was supplied by GE Aerospace, a major Boeing supplier. He indicated that a fix could potentially be developed relatively quickly, although it remained unclear whether that would take days, weeks or months.
Despite the software problem, pilots retained control of the aircraft, Bedford said.
The FAA also plans to convene a Corrective Action Review Board to investigate the issue.
Boeing said it would continue to follow the FAA’s direction as it works through the certification process.
The development weighed heavily on Boeing shares, which fell 6.3% amid concerns that certification of the MAX 10 could face further delays.
The 737 MAX 10 is the largest member of Boeing’s MAX family and is considered an important part of the US planemaker’s efforts to compete with Airbus in the single-aisle aircraft market.
Canadian carrier WestJet, which operates aircraft using the software under review, said it had experienced no related problems in service and did not consider the issue a safety concern.
Alaska Airlines and United Airlines said their aircraft currently do not use the affected software. United also said it was not accepting deliveries of aircraft equipped with the software version under review.
