Nov. 28 (UPI) — Aircraft manufacturer Airbus has announced a recall of its A320 aircraft for a software update to address an issue that contributed to the sudden altitude drop of a JetBlue plane last month.
At least 15 passengers aboard the JetBlue flight were hospitalized after the plane suddenly fell. It made an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida. It was headed to Newark, NJ
Airbus said an analysis has shown that intense solar radiation can corrupt data crucial to the functioning of flight controls on the A320 family of aircraft. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has announced a requirement to address the problem.
The update could cause flight delays as airlines work to resolve the issue, especially as Americans try to return home after the Thanksgiving holiday.
The setback appears to be one of Airbus’ largest recalls in its 55-year history. At the time Airbus issued its bulletin to the aircraft’s more than 350 operators, there were about 3,000 A320 family aircraft in the air, The Guardian reported.
Fixing the problem usually means reverting to previous software, CNBC reported.
American Airlines, the world’s largest A320 operator, said about 340 of its 480 A320 aircraft require the solution. It said it expects these to be updated by Saturday, which will take about two hours for each aircraft.
Colombian airline Avianca said the recall affected more than 70% of its fleet, halting ticket sales for travel dates through December 8.
