Airbus calls for ‘immediate’ software upgrade to A320 aircraft : NPR
An American Airlines Airbus A320-211 is seen on the tarmac on January 8, 2020 at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images
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Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images
Airbus on Friday asked airlines to take immediate action to upgrade the software on its A320, warning there could be a problem with the flight controls.
The planemaker said in a statement that it discovered the problem after an analysis of an incident involving an A320 aircraft revealed that “intense solar radiation can corrupt data critical to the operation of flight controls.”
“Airbus has proactively worked with aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary measures from operators via an Operator Alert Transmission (AOT) to implement available software and/or hardware protection and ensure the fleet can fly safely,” the company said.
The company also said “a significant number” of A320 aircraft currently in use could be affected.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has ordered an immediate change to the software of a number of its Airbus A320s. The FAA is also expected to issue a similar emergency airworthiness directive. NPR has reached out to the FAA for comment but has not yet received a response.
Airbus confirmed to NPR that the plane analyzed was JetBlue Flight 1230, which was traveling from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey, on October 30 when it suddenly dropped altitude, causing several injuries.
The Airbus A320 family of aircraft is now the most widely used aircraft, with more than 9,000 planes flying around the world, including 1,600 in the United States, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Airbus A320s are operated by a number of domestic and international airlines, and the required software update could result in “operational disruptions for passengers and customers”, Airbus also said.
The required software patch also comes during a busy holiday weekend, when millions of people are about to return home.
American Airlines told NPR it took “rapid action” to resolve the software issue, with 340 of its A320 planes needing software replacement, and expects the updates to be completed Friday and Saturday. The airline also said it expects “some delays” but is focused on limiting flight cancellations.
“Nevertheless, our top priority will always be the safety of our operations. Everyone at our airline is mobilized to resolve this Airbus software issue and take care of all customers whose flights are affected,” the airline said in a statement Friday.
Delta Air Lines told NPR in a statement Friday that it expects “any resulting operational impact to be limited.” United Airlines said its planes were not affected by the software issue, and Frontier Airlines said it was currently evaluating Airbus’ notice. Allegiant Air said the airline is doing everything it can to minimize any potential delays or disruptions and will contact affected passengers directly.
NPR also reached out to JetBlue and Spirit Airlines for comment Friday, but did not receive a response.
