Airbus said Friday evening that about 6,000 A320 aircraft operating worldwide need an urgent software fix after an investigation into a safety incident found that “intense sunlight radiation” could damage data critical to the plane’s steering systems. Israeli airlines also operate A320s in their fleets.
Arkia said, “At the moment there is no change in the company’s plans.” Israir said it has one aircraft of the model that will require the update and will return to service as early as Saturday morning. Wizz Air said, “The company confirms that some of its aircraft are among more than 6,500 Airbus A320 jets worldwide that require a software update, as recently identified by the manufacturer. The company is already carrying out the required maintenance immediately. The software update could affect some flight times over the weekend. The company is in contact with its customers. The safety of customers, crew and aircraft is always our top priority. We apologize for any inconvenience that may be caused by circumstances beyond our direct control.” El Al does not operate Airbus aircraft.
The warning follows a troubling event on October 30, when a JetBlue plane flying from Cancun to New Jersey suffered a computer malfunction that caused it to suddenly dive without any maneuvering by the pilots. The incident ended without injuries, and the aircraft was diverted for an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida.
A detailed investigation after the incident found that one of the plane’s flight-control computers, known as the ELAC 2 computer, had failed. That system manages critical flight parameters such as stability and prevents excessive or accidental maneuvers that could push the aircraft outside its safe flight envelope. Airbus acknowledged that the recommended repairs would lead to “operational disruptions for passengers and customers.”
Most aircraft are expected to receive a relatively simple software update from the cockpit with minimal downtime. However, about 1,000 older jets will need a physical hardware upgrade and will have to be grounded for the duration of maintenance. The issue is a major headache for airlines worldwide. The A320 family is Airbus’ most widely used model and a backbone of global civil aviation, competing directly with Boeing’s 737 family.
It is not the first time Airbus has faced broad maintenance challenges. The company has already dealt with engine problems on the newer A320neo aircraft produced by Pratt & Whitney, which temporarily sidelined hundreds of planes for repairs.
The required fix is expected to affect hundreds of flights worldwide, as airlines coordinate complex schedules to bring aircraft in for maintenance while keeping operations running. The financial and logistical consequences for the industry are expected to be significant, especially for carriers operating the older variants that require hardware upgrades.