Boeing identifies new software issue in 737 Max

US aviation giant Boeing has identified a new software issue in its widely used 737 Max aircraft, the company said on Saturday.
The problem can leave pilots without automated flight guidance during a specific landing scenario following an aborted landing attempt, the company said.
Boeing said pilots are trained to handle such situations safely using existing procedures and that engineers are working on a software update to fix the issue permanently.
It remains unclear how many of the more than 2,000 737 Max aircraft delivered so far are affected.
The 737 Max is the model that plunged Boeing into the worst crisis in its history after two crashes in October 2018 and March 2019 killed 346 people.
A key factor was an automated flight-control system designed to assist pilots but which could intervene too strongly under certain conditions. Boeing later had to suspend production of the 737 Max, which remains below previous levels.
The aircraft has since faced further problems, including a January 2024 incident in which part of the fuselage of a nearly new 737 broke away during climb, raising fresh questions about Boeing's quality controls.Safety review
Boeing said it informed all 737 operators about the latest software issue in August.
The company said at the time that the problem did not pose a safety risk, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a Boeing document.
According to the newspaper, US airlines Southwest and United do not want to take delivery of aircraft affected by the issue. The US Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing the matter.
The Wall Street Journal said Boeing was first alerted to the problem by a 737 Max operator in November 2024.
At first, the issue was not considered serious enough to warrant a formal safety review, according to the newspaper. Such a review was launched in September.
The problem was reportedly caused by a software update. Industry representatives said the additional steps needed to restore vertical navigation could increase pilots' workload during landing approaches.