Summary
Airbus has asked airlines to make quick changes to about 6,000 aircraft because strong sunlight can mess up important flight control data. Most of the planes need a simple software update, but older ones will also require new hardware. This issue, affecting the A320 family of planes, led to an emergency landing and has caused various airlines to plan maintenance, which could cause flight disruptions.
Key Facts
- About 6,000 Airbus planes need changes due to sunlight affecting flight controls.
- The problem affects the A320 family, including A318, A319, A320, and A321 models.
- On October 30, a JetBlue A320 had to make an emergency landing in Florida.
- Around 5,100 planes can be fixed with a software update.
- Older planes will also need new hardware, which will take them out of service temporarily.
- Airbus has apologized for any disruption this may cause to passengers and airlines.
- The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has told some airlines to take precautionary steps.
- The issue is due to solar radiation affecting the ELAC computer that helps control the plane's movement.
