FAA's 737 MAX software probe could affect MAX 10 certification and MAX 7 deliveries

VNAV helps a plane follow planned altitudes at points along its route. If it disconnects in the reported circumstances, the aircraft could move to a less sophisticated form of automated pitch control. That is a loss of VNAV, not a report that all autopilot functions shut down.

Boeing told operators that autopilot would continue to work and that pilots are trained to complete a landing without VNAV. The company also said the issue did not pose an immediate safety issue and sent guidance reminding operators of existing procedures. The FAA has not adopted that assessment as its own finding.

A VNAV disengagement could require pilots to take additional steps on a later approach. An unnamed airline source told CBS News that the added workload could come at a particularly busy stage of flight. That is a concern raised by the source, not an FAA finding.

The reporting does not establish whether the software behavior has occurred during airline operations or whether it has led to an incident. The FAA’s review will need to determine what pilots would need to do in the scenario and whether current procedures and training adequately cover it. The available information does not establish that the software issue has caused harm.

How many aircraft have the software?

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines each told CBS News that their in-service 737 MAX fleets do not use the software version at issue. Their statements describe those four airlines’ operating fleets only; they do not establish which software other carriers use or what is installed on undelivered aircraft.

CBS News has not reported a confirmed count of aircraft with versions 14 or 14.1. The number of affected aircraft worldwide therefore remains unknown based on the available reporting.

The software also intersects with certification and delivery decisions. The FAA certified the 737 MAX 7 on Aug. 3, 2026, and CBS News reported that the model was certified with version 14. The MAX 10 used version 14.1 during certification testing, the outlet reported.

The FAA’s review could affect MAX 10 certification or MAX 7 deliveries, but no delay has been announced. Southwest and United told Boeing they would not accept new aircraft with the affected operating system and preferred an earlier version. Their position does not establish how other airlines will handle future deliveries.

The MAX has faced other serious safety scrutiny: two crashes in 2018 and 2019 killed 346 people, CBS News reported. The current investigation concerns a different reported software behavior. The reporting does not connect the VNAV issue to those crashes.

What have Boeing and the FAA done?

CBS News reported that an airline first notified Boeing about the issue in November 2024. Boeing’s initial review, completed in February 2025, did not identify a safety issue, according to the report. After receiving more information from operators earlier in 2026, Boeing opened a formal safety review and sent its findings to the FAA in September.

Boeing notified 737 operators about the issue in late August and reinforced existing pilot procedures. The company plans to provide updated procedure guidance in November, CBS News reported. That is a planned timing, not confirmation that the guidance has already been issued.

Boeing is also working on a permanent software fix. Its initial bulletin gave 2028 as the expected timing, but the company is trying to accelerate the work. The year is not a confirmed release date.

The FAA says it is working with Boeing and airlines and plans to convene a Corrective Action Review Board, or CARB. The board has not been described as already conducting its review. The FAA says it will take immediate action if it identifies a safety concern; it has not announced a final finding.

What remains unresolved?

The FAA has not reported how many aircraft may use the software, what evidence it will weigh in its review, or whether its findings will affect MAX 10 certification or MAX 7 deliveries. The reporting also leaves open what prompted Boeing’s later formal review after its earlier assessment, and how operators and crews will be kept informed as the review proceeds.

For pilots, the immediate question is what steps the reported VNAV loss would require on a subsequent approach. Boeing says existing procedures and training address flying without VNAV, while its updated guidance is planned for November. Whether the FAA considers those measures sufficient remains unresolved as the agency prepares to convene the review board.