The Federal Aviation Administration has concluded that a software flaw affecting some Boeing 737 MAX aircraft poses no flight-safety risk, clearing an obstacle that had stalled certification of the MAX 10, the largest variant of the family.

The agency's Corrective Action Review Board reached the decision on October 2, 2026. The board examined a problem that can leave pilots without automated flight guidance during a specific go-around scenario.

"Pilots retain full control of the aircraft and the indications to the flight crew are clear and unambiguous," the FAA said in its assessment.

Boeing disclosed the issue on September 26, 2026, notifying operators and beginning work on a software update. The FAA had flagged the problem for its potential to increase pilot workload during a go-around maneuver.

The failure mode is narrow but operationally relevant. It can occur during a go-around if pilots change the missed-approach route programmed into the flight management computer. The aircraft's vertical navigation mode, VNAV, can then disengage, requiring the crew to intervene manually to maintain the correct altitude.

Boeing has maintained that the autopilot continues functioning even when VNAV drops out. The FAA's concern centered not on loss of control but on the added workload for pilots during an already high-demand phase of flight.

The stakes for the certification timeline were significant. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency would hold off on certifying the MAX 10 until it had completed its assessment of the software, tying the variant's entry into service directly to the review board's findings.

The customer queue behind the MAX 10 is substantial. United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Ryanair are among the carriers awaiting deliveries. Lufthansa Group added to the backlog in September 2026, exercising options for 20 of the aircraft.

The glitch had also exposed a split between Boeing and two of its largest MAX operators. Before the FAA's ruling, United and Southwest asked Boeing to deliver new MAX aircraft loaded with an earlier version of the software rather than wait for a fix, according to The Wall Street Journal. The request reflected carrier concern that the flaw — and any certification hold it triggered — could disrupt delivery schedules and fleet planning.

In-service experience with the affected software has so far shown no operational impact, at least at one operator. WestJet, which already flies aircraft carrying the software in question, said it had experienced no related issues in service.

The FAA's finding removes the immediate regulatory barrier to MAX 10 certification, though Boeing still owes the agency a software update addressing the VNAV disengagement itself. How quickly the certification campaign now progresses will determine when United, Ryanair and the rest of the order book begin taking the stretched variant.