Airbus has identified an issue that may affect some of its A320neo family aircraft currently in service and is calling on operators to take immediate preventative action.
The aircraft manufacturer reported that analysis of a recent accident involving an A320 family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation can corrupt data important for the operation of flight control devices.
As a result, Airbus has identified a “significant” number of A320 family aircraft in service that could be affected.
Therefore, the European manufacturer has cooperated with the aviation authorities to require operators to take immediate preventive measures by sending an Alert to Operators (AOT) in order to implement available “software” and/or “hardware” protection and ensure fleet safety.
The AOT will be reflected in the Emergency Airworthiness Directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Airbus indicated that it realizes that these recommendations will cause “operational disruptions” to passengers and apologizes for the inconvenience caused. Likewise, he stressed that he would work with collaborators, “keeping safety as the first and absolute priority.”