Airbus calls for software upgrade to A320 aircraft : NPR

Airbus on Friday demanded airlines take immediate action to update software on its A320 aircraft, warning there could be problems with flight controls.

The aircraft manufacturer announced this. statement The problem was discovered after an analysis of the A320 incident found that “intense solar radiation could damage data critical to the functioning of flight controls.”

“Airbus is actively working with aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary measures from operators through the Alert to Operators (AOT) system to implement available software and/or hardware protections and ensure flight safety,” the company said.

The company also said it could impact a “significant number” of A320 aircraft currently in service.

The Federal Aviation Administration late Friday issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive for certain Airbus A319 and A320/321 aircraft, requiring software replacement or modification. The FAA is directing operators to complete the upgrades before the plane flies again and by Sunday, Nov. 30. The FAA's action mirrors a previous order from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which certifies Airbus planes.

Airbus confirmed to NPR that the aircraft being analyzed was JetBlue Flight 1230, which flew from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey, on October 30. when he suddenly fell at altitude, which resulted in several injuries.

The Airbus A320 family of aircraft is now the most frequently flown aircraft, with more than 9,000 flying around the world, including 1,600 in the United States, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Airbus A320 aircraft are operated by a number of domestic and international airlines and the required software update could result in “disruption to passengers and customers,” Airbus also said.

Necessary software patching is also done during busy holiday travel weekends as millions of people intend to return home.

American Airlines told NPR it took “swift action” to resolve the software issue, and as of 6 p.m. Central time, there were fewer than 150 aircraft remaining requiring the software replacement update. The updates are expected to be completed Friday and Saturday. The airline also said it expected “some delays” but was focused on limiting flight cancellations.

“However, our first priority will always be the safety of our operations. Our entire airline is working hard to resolve this Airbus software issue and take care of all customers whose flights are affected,” the airline said in a statement on Friday.

Delta Air Lines told NPR in a statement Friday that it expects “any operational impacts to be limited.” United Airlines said earlier Friday that the software problem did not affect its planes, but later told NPR that six of its planes would be affected. The airline also said it expects “minor disruptions to several flights” and Frontier Airlines said it was currently reviewing the notification from Airbus. Allegiant Air said the airline is doing everything possible to minimize any potential delays or disruptions and will contact affected passengers directly.

JetBlue told NPR it has begun working on the affected planes and is also trying to minimize disruptions. NPR reached out to Spirit Airlines for comment Friday but did not hear back.

NPR's Joel Rose contributed to this report.