A recent mid-air technical malfunction linked to solar radiation has prompted aircraft manufacturer Airbus to issue an urgent advisory for a large part of its global fleet. The company has instructed operators of nearly 6,000 Airbus A320 aircraft to install a critical software update to prevent safety risks arising from high-intensity solar particle activity.
The incident that triggered the alert occurred on October 30, when a JetBlue A320 flying from Cancún to Newark experienced an abrupt technical failure mid-flight. The aircraft suddenly lost altitude by several thousand feet, forcing pilots to divert and make an emergency landing in Tampa. A Federal Aviation Administration investigation later determined that unusually high solar radiation interfered with the aircraft’s Elevator and Aileron Computer (ELAC) system, which controls altitude and maneuvering. Solar radiation consists of high-energy particles and electromagnetic waves from the sun, and experts say that when such particles interact with onboard electronics, navigation and flight control systems can become compromised.
Citing the risk of loss of critical flight-control data during such episodes, Airbus classified the update as a precautionary safety measure for the A320 fleet. In India, the model is widely operated by airlines including IndiGo, Vistara and Air India. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that software upgrades have already been completed on more than 300 aircraft, and the remaining affected units are expected to be updated by Sunday morning.
Airbus has clarified that the fix is not required for every A320 aircraft. Newer aircraft equipped with updated ELAC systems are not affected and do not require the patch. Aviation authorities say prompt identification of the risk and swift action by Airbus and airlines worldwide have helped avert potential safety incidents linked to future spikes in solar activity.