Discovery and Immediate Safety Action
Airlines around the world have warned of possible delays after Airbus requested urgent modifications to thousands of aircraft, following its discovery that intense solar radiation could corrupt data used by flight control systems. About 6,000 planes are affected—roughly half of the company’s global fleet—and most are expected to undergo a software update. The UK’s aviation regulator said completing the updates will likely lead to some disruption and cancellations.
Incident Leading to the Investigation
Airbus said the issue came to light after an incident on 30 October involving a JetBlue Airways A320 in the US. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Florida after a sudden drop in altitude, and at least 15 people were reported injured. The company apologised for the disruption to passengers while confirming that the issue affects the A320 family, including the A318, A319, and A321 models.
Scope of Affected Aircraft and Required Fixes
The report indicates that about 5,100 planes can be repaired through a software update requiring roughly three hours. Another 900 older aircraft will need replacement of onboard computers and cannot carry passengers until that work is finished. Airbus acknowledged that this will create operational disruption and apologised.
Airline Responses and Operational Impact
Aviation analyst Sally Gethin told the BBC the situation is unusual and passenger disruption will depend on each airline’s maintenance approach. Some carriers, including Lufthansa, may take aircraft out of service, while others expect minimal impact.
Heathrow Airport reported no operational impact, while Gatwick confirmed limited disruption affecting a small number of airlines. EasyJet said some disruption was expected but later stated it had already completed many updates and anticipated normal operations on Saturday. British Airways is understood to be minimally affected. Wizz Air scheduled maintenance for its impacted aircraft, and Air India noted the directive could cause delays.
In the US, the issue emerged during the Thanksgiving travel period. American Airlines said 340 aircraft were affected and expected some delays, though most updates would be completed on Friday or Saturday. Delta Air Lines anticipated limited impact. Australia’s Jetstar said some Airbus-operated flights were unable to depart while it assessed its fleet, though Qantas reported no impacts.
Regulatory Directives and Safety Measures
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said some airlines will need to implement the updates in the coming days or keep affected planes grounded from Sunday until upgrades are complete. Policy director Tim Johnson said some delays or cancellations may occur, while noting that aviation remains one of the safest forms of transport due to rigorous maintenance procedures. Giancarlo Buono, the CAA’s director of aviation safety, advised passengers to check with airlines, adding that carriers have a duty of care during delays. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the impact on UK airlines appears limited and welcomed the swift identification and response.
Technical Cause and Required Hardware Replacement
The issue involves the ELAC computer, which manages the elevators and ailerons on A320 family aircraft. These components control pitch and roll, and intense solar radiation at high altitudes can affect the computer’s functioning. Airbus said the JetBlue incident is the only known occurrence.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring replacement of ELAC computers on the most affected aircraft before carrying passengers. As of 29 November, those planes may operate only ferry flights without passengers to reach maintenance facilities.
Fly-by-Wire Architecture and Airbus Alert
The A320 family uses fly-by-wire systems, where pilot inputs are interpreted by computers rather than transmitted through mechanical linkages. Airbus issued an alert requesting immediate precautionary action to apply available software and hardware protections to ensure aircraft remain safe to operate.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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