Global Airlines Temporarily Suspends Flights to Resolve Software Issues
In anticipation of the weekend, airlines worldwide have begun to cancel and delay flights necessitated by software adjustments on a commonly employed commercial aircraft. This decision follows an analysis indicating that erroneous computer code may have precipitated an abrupt altitude plunge of a JetBlue aircraft last month.
On Friday, Airbus disclosed that an investigation into the JetBlue incident highlighted the possibility of intense solar radiation corrupting vital data essential for the flight controls of the A320 aircraft family.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has joined forces with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to mandate that airlines rectify this critical issue through a new software update. This adjustment will impact over 500 U.S.-registered aircraft.
According to EASA, the rectification process may lead to “short-term disruption” in flight schedules, attributing the issue to a recent software upgrade affecting the aircraft’s onboard systems.
In Japan, All Nippon Airways, which operates a fleet exceeding 30 aircraft, canceled 65 domestic flights scheduled for Saturday, with additional cancellations anticipated on Sunday.
This software modification coincides with a surge in U.S. travelers returning home post-Thanksgiving holiday, traditionally the busiest travel period in the nation.
American Airlines operates approximately 480 aircraft from the A320 family, with 209 of those requiring updates. The airline has indicated that repairs should take around two hours for most planes, with a majority of updates expected to be completed by Friday, while a few will be finalized on Saturday.
While American Airlines is preparing for potential delays, the airline emphasized its commitment to minimizing cancellations, asserting that safety remains its paramount concern.
Air India informed its customers via the social media platform X that its engineers are in the process of implementing repairs, successfully resetting over 40% of the affected aircraft. Notably, there have been no flight cancellations reported.
Delta anticipates that fewer than 50 of its A321neo aircraft will be impacted. United Airlines has identified six planes within its fleet that are affected, expecting only minor disruptions on select flights, whereas Hawaiian Airlines reported no impact from this issue.
Mike Stengel, a partner at the aerospace industry management consulting firm AeroDynamic Advisory, noted that the necessary repairs could typically be conducted between flights or during routine overnight inspections.
“This situation is undoubtedly less than ideal, especially with a universally utilized aircraft during a bustling holiday weekend,” remarked Stengel from Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Nevertheless, the silver lining is that the software updates are expected to require only a few hours for implementation.”
The turbulence of October 30, which involved JetBlue, saw at least 15 passengers sustain injuries, necessitating hospital transport after the flight was redirected from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey, landing instead in Tampa, Florida.
Registered in the Netherlands but headquartered in France, Airbus stands as one of the world’s prominent aircraft manufacturers, in competition with Boeing.
Stengel noted that the A320 is the principal contender to Boeing’s 737, adding that Airbus modernized its engines in the mid-2010s, with planes in this category designated as A320neo.
According to Airbus’ website, the A320 family is recognized as the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft line.
Source link: Republicworld.com.
