Airbus might need to retrieve thousands of A320 aircraft in order to address a software issue. The plane maker notes, “Severe solar exposure can interfere with essential data.” At the end of October, an airplane in the United States abruptly experienced a drop in altitude.
Airbus suggests that a portion of the A320 fleet should promptly receive a software patch to mitigate potential disruptions. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is expected to issue an urgent directive, according to the company.
The statement from Airbus indicates, “Reviewing a recent incident involving an A320 reveals that strong solar radiation can corrupt data vital for flight control operations,” as stated in their announcement. The aircraft manufacturer is addressing an occurrence involving an A320 operated by the US low-cost carrier JetBlue in late October. During this incident, a flight traveling from Cancun, Mexico, to New Jersey unexpectedly lost altitude, resulting in several individuals requiring medical treatment upon landing.
There are approximately 11,300 A320 aircraft currently in operation worldwide. According to sources cited by Reuters, about 6,000 of these planes may be impacted. While a software patch can be quickly implemented, it may also necessitate hardware replacements in certain situations. The company has indicated that this situation could cause significant inconvenience. “Airbus recognizes that implementing these suggestions will result in operational interruptions for both passengers and clients,” the announcement stated.