TL;DR
- Airbus has ordered software updates for around half of its A320 family fleet due to a significant control issue linked to solar radiation, prompting potential travel disruptions.
- A recent JetBlue flight incident, where a sudden altitude drop caused injuries, revealed that solar radiation could corrupt critical flight control data, necessitating immediate repairs.
- While the software fix is expected to be quick, some aircraft may require hardware replacements, extending downtime for affected jets.
Concerns over ‘intense’ solar radiation affecting Airbus planes has led to global flight disruption
Thousands of planes from Airbus’s widely-used A320 family have been ordered for repairs following a software issue.
The aircraft manufacturer is carrying out software updates for 6,000 of its jets – around half the global fleet – threatening travel disruption for airline passengers.
The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority said it expects some disruptions to airlines and flights, with easyJet and Wizz Air saying they will take some planes briefly out of service to do the repairs.
But why have airlines been told to carry out a software update for the planes, and how is solar radiation involved?