Airbus A320: Immediate Software Overhaul Ordered After Safety Concerns

Airbus has mandated an urgent software update for over half of its A320 jets following an incident where solar radiation corrupted vital flight control data. This move impacts approximately 6,000 aircraft and aims to prevent operational disruptions. Airlines face potential grounding or hardware changes amid anticipated travel peaks.

Airbus, the European aerospace giant, announced on Friday an urgent software modification for a substantial segment of its A320 aircraft series, following a significant safety incident. Industry sources indicate that this decision affects nearly 6,000 planes, over half of the A320 global fleet, necessitating immediate action to uphold safety standards.

The catalyst for this directive was a recent incident where intense solar radiation compromised critical flight control data. In response, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency plans to release an emergency airworthiness directive to address this vulnerability, striving to mitigate further risks.

For about two-thirds of the affected jets, airlines will need to roll back to previous software versions, resulting in temporary groundings just before a peak travel weekend in the U.S. Additionally, many jets may require weeks-long hardware modifications, extending aircraft downtime.

(With inputs from agencies.)