FAA Delays Boeing 737 MAX 10 Certification Over Software Glitch, Shares Slide

The Federal Aviation Administration will hold off certifying Boeing's 737 MAX 10 until a software issue is resolved. "We will be delaying the 10 until we're satisfied that we don't have an issue here," FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said, adding, "Is that weeks, days, months? I don't know". The FAA said safety dictates the certification timeline. BA shares fell about 6% on September 28, trading at $185.82, down $12.25 or 6.18%, in the afternoon per Yahoo Finance; Reuters put the decline at 6.3% and CNBC at nearly 7%.

The flaw sits in Flight Management Computer software versions 14 and 14.1, which can cause the vertical navigation system to disengage when pilots alter the programmed flight path after a missed approach, reverting to a simpler pitch mode and raising crew workload near the airport. The software was supplied by GE Aerospace. Boeing disclosed the issue publicly on September 26. Bedford stressed that pilots keep manual control throughout, distinguishing it from the automatic flight-control software behind the 2018 and 2019 crashes.

The commercial stakes are material. The MAX 10 accounted for roughly 31% of Boeing's undelivered 737 orders as of end-June, and a permanent software fix is not expected until 2028, per Yahoo Finance. Alaska Air Group, which holds 105 MAX 10 orders, had anticipated first deliveries in spring 2027. Airlines flying current MAX variants reported no operational problems: United and Alaska said none of their aircraft use the affected software version.

What to watch: any interim fix the FAA would accept ahead of the permanent 2028 software update, revised delivery guidance from Boeing, and whether MAX 10 customers such as Alaska adjust delivery schedules or order mixes.