Airbus confirms most A320 planes have been updated as required

Airbus has implemented software updates on a large number of its A320 aircraft after discovering that high levels of solar radiation could interfere with critical flight control systems. According to the company, "Of the approximately 6,000 planes potentially affected, most have already received the necessary updates."

The Toulouse-based manufacturer added that it is coordinating with airlines to complete modifications on fewer than 100 remaining jets, ensuring they can safely return to service.

The precautionary updates were requested last Friday, following an investigation of an incident at the end of October. A JetBlue-operated A320 experienced flight control issues and an unexpected altitude drop, requiring an emergency landing on October 30, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) reported.

Aircraft without the updates are not permitted to operate, although the worldwide directive has had minimal effect on flight schedules. Some airlines had already installed the software updates by Friday evening.

Lufthansa confirmed that all affected aircraft were updated by Saturday, allowing normal operations to resume. Low-cost carrier EasyJet also completed the updates on its A320 fleet without disrupting its flight program, CEO Kenton Jarvis stated.

An EasyJet A320 was observed following the so-called Hoffmann curve after departing Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) near Waltersdorf.

Author: Sophia Brooks