Boeing is facing a new challenge related to the software on its 737 MAX. According to a joint report by Leeham News and Airfinance Journal, the Option Selection Software (OSS) has presented a problem.
The OSS is used to reconfigure the computer programs on an aircraft if it is transferred to another airline. The site cites, for example, the case of a 737 that was built for airline A and will go to airline B instead, possibly requiring reconfiguration of the cockpit display and related systems.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has deemed this a safety issue. The problem could reportedly take up to a year to resolve, which means that some deliveries of the 737 MAX may be delayed.
According to what was reported by our media partner AEROIN, the problem was identified after the manufacturer needed to reconfigure some aircraft that were parked to prepare them for other companies. There are still dozens of Boeing 737 MAXs sitting idle in Boeing’s yards, first because of the halt to flights with the model after the fatal crashes, and then because of the pandemic, when companies postponed deliveries.
When asked by the aforementioned media outlets, Boeing and the FAA have not commented on the issue so far. Analysts understand that the problem does not affect aircraft that do not need to change ownership after production.