Airbus Warns A320 Fleet Needs Software Fix After Solar Incident

(Bloomberg) — Airbus SE recently acquired Jetblue Airways Corp. warned that a large portion of its active A320 family of jetliner fleet would need a software fix after an incident on its aircraft; It found that “intense solar radiation” could risk corrupting data critical to maintaining the functioning of flight controls.

According to a statement sent by the European aircraft maker on Friday, the company said a significant portion of its A320 fleet, which totals about 6,000 jets, could be affected by the required fixes.

“Airbus acknowledges that these recommendations will result in operational disruptions for passengers and customers,” the company said.

This warning follows an incident on October 30 on a JetBlue flight flying from Cancun to Newark, New Jersey, which caused a sudden and unexpected crash without pilot intervention due to a computer error. No one was injured in the incident and the jet was diverted to Tampa, Florida.

This finding risks turning into a serious headache for Airbus, given that the A320 family is by far the company’s best-flying aircraft. Most jets can receive an uncomplicated update from the cockpit with minimal downtime, according to people familiar with the matter. But about 1,000 older jets will need a real hardware upgrade, which could take much longer, said the sources, who asked not to be identified discussing the findings, which have not been made public.

Airbus declined to comment on the details and duration of the fix.

A320, Boeing Co. It is a rival aircraft of the 737 model, and both jet aircraft families are the workhorses of the civil aviation industry. Airbus has already had to deal with engine problems on its newer A320neo jets, including those built by Pratt & Whitney, which have caused hundreds of jets to be temporarily taken out of service for maintenance.

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