Federal Aviation Administration pilots carried out simulated flights last week when they found new potential faults in the Boeing 737 planes, said two sources.
The latest flaw to be discovered is an error in the flight computer’s data processing, which ultimately influences pilots’ capability to follow the required recovery procedures for the runaway stabilizer quickly and easily.
The two sources said the flaw is connected to a broader anti-stall system, called “speed trim” rather than to a previously reported MCAS anti-stall system, ABC News reports.
On Wednesday night, the FAA issued a statement, saying that they “recently found a potential risk that Boeing must mitigate” as they evaluate updates to the Boeing 737 MAX software.
Boeing, on its part, said they were working on the software to address the FAA’s request, adding that they will not offer their model of the aircraft for certification by the FAA until they “have satisfied all requirements for certification of the MAX and its safe return to service.”
The 737 MAX model was grounded in March, following a fatal crash in Ethiopia as well as an earlier one, which killed a total of 346 people.
FAA officials stressed in its statement that the aircraft’s prohibition order will be lifted by the agency only after “they deem it safe to do so.”
The agency noted that it was “following a thorough process” rather than a specific timeline for returning the Boeing aircraft to passenger service, adding that they were reviewing “Boeing’s software modification to the MCAS.”
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