US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Wednesday that regulators were monitoring the issue but had not identified circumstances warranting the withdrawal of the aircraft from service.
“If there was like, ‘Hey we’ve got a safety issue,’ we have a different response,” Duffy told reporters after an event in Washington.
“We’ve learned when you don’t respond quickly to things, bad things can happen,” he added.
Duffy said the authorities therefore saw no need to ground the 737 MAX fleet over the software problem.
The issue emerged on Saturday when Boeing disclosed that certain 737 MAX aircraft were affected by a software problem that could prevent pilots from accessing automated flight guidance during a particular landing scenario.
The aircraft manufacturer said it had notified operators of the problem and was working on a software update intended to provide a permanent solution.
The development has nevertheless prompted regulatory scrutiny, with the Federal Aviation Administration taking steps to ensure the issue is addressed before approving further developments involving the MAX programme.
On Monday, the FAA said it would delay certification of Boeing’s long-awaited 737 MAX 10 until the software problem had been resolved.
FAA assesses pilot workload
The FAA has said the affected software version could increase the workload on pilots during a go-around — a manoeuvre in which a pilot abandons an attempted landing, applies engine power and climbs away before making another approach.
The agency said it would convene a Corrective Action Review Board to examine the issue and determine the appropriate corrective measures.
Officials indicated that the review may not begin until next week at the earliest.
Duffy sought to characterise the problem as a software matter requiring an update rather than an immediate fleet-wide safety crisis.
Comparing the process to updating software on a smartphone, he said the issue had not been classified by the agency as a safety concern.
The software update, he said, “hasn’t been flagged for us as a safety issue.”
The distinction is significant for Boeing and airlines operating the 737 MAX, as any decision to ground the fleet could have substantial implications for flight schedules and airline operations.
For now, the FAA’s approach involves addressing the software issue while allowing the existing 737 MAX fleet to remain in service.
The regulator’s planned review will determine what corrective action is required and whether additional measures are necessary before Boeing can proceed with certification of the 737 MAX 10.
The latest development adds another regulatory hurdle for Boeing’s MAX programme, which has remained under close scrutiny from aviation authorities following previous safety incidents involving the aircraft family.
The FAA’s decision to delay certification of the MAX 10 until the software issue is resolved underscores the regulator’s focus on ensuring the aircraft meets certification requirements, even as officials maintain that there is no present need to ground aircraft already in operation.