WSJ learned about the failure in the software Boeing 737 MA X
The failure can lead to the failure of the automatic navigation function, writes the WSJ. The company assured that the problem does not pose a threat to flight safety
Boeing has identified a failure in the software of the 737 MAX aircraft, which can lead to the failure of the automatic navigation function, writes The Wall Street Journal, citing the document.
The problem was discovered after updating the software in the cockpit, it can occur when the crew changes the route after leaving for the second round. In some situations, pilots may need to operate the aircraft manually, without some autopilot features. In late August, Boeing notified the 737 MAX operators of the problem, saying it posed no safety threat.
The company said it was working with airlines on a procedure that would allow the crew to re-activate the automatic navigation feature if necessary, as well as a software update that would permanently fix the problem. GE Aerospace, which developed the software, said it was working closely with Boeing and would assist the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the inspection.
Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have ditched the new 737 MAX aircraft equipped with problematic software and instead requested an earlier version.
According to Cirium, 2,422 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 aircraft are currently in operation worldwide.
The 737 MAX defect, which caused the plane to dive due to erroneous sensor readings, caused two crashes of 737 Max aircraft in 2018 and 2019, which killed a total of 346 people.
The first Boeing 737 MAX crash occurred in October 2018: a plane of the Indonesian airline Lion Air fell into the Java Sea, killing 189 people. In March 2019, there was a second crash: an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed, killing 157 people. In both cases, pilots reported flight control problems.
In January 2024, the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 had an emergency exit hatch in the air. The airliner made an emergency landing at Portland airport due to depressurization of the cabin. No one was hurt. The US Department of Justice and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched an investigation. According to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), four bolts were missing from the door.
In the summer of 2024, Boeing agreed to make a deal with the US Department of Justice and plead guilty to fraud charges for violating a deferred prosecution agreement after two disasters. The company had to pay a fine of $243.6 million and appoint a corporate watchdog for three years. A Texas court later rejected the deal. Last spring, the WSJ wrote about Boeing's plans to withdraw its guilty plea in the 737 MAX case.
