New Delhi, Nov 29 (NationPress) Air travel in India and various other nations is poised for significant disruption this weekend as global aviation authorities mandated immediate software updates for the Airbus A320 family of aircraft due to concerns that solar radiation could compromise critical systems. Experts in aviation are labeling this scenario as “a major air crisis,” warning of potential impacts on safety, tourism, and business travel.

Aviation analyst Subhash Goyal shared with IANS that the magnitude of this issue is considerable, both internationally and within India.

“There are over 6,000 Airbus A320 aircraft globally affected, with about 250 located in India. For newer models, software updates typically require 2–3 hours, whereas older models may take 1–2 days. This air crisis will have repercussions on both tourism and business sectors,” he stated.

Delving into the technical aspects, Goyal explained that the concern arose from an incident where an Airbus A320 unexpectedly pitched down mid-flight. “This crisis emerged due to an incident involving an Airbus A320 that suddenly descended mid-air. Reports suggest that increased solar radiation is causing these issues. The Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC), a vital component of the flight control system, could be impacted during aircraft transitions,” he elaborated.

Another aviation expert, Sanat Kaul, supported this view, highlighting that Airbus has specifically instructed airlines to perform upgrades on their onboard systems. “Airbus has communicated the necessity for software upgrades; failure to do so could lead to damage. This could affect either the software or hardware, prompting their directive for all airplanes to receive the software update,” he mentioned.

This urgent global measure follows a safety investigation into a JetBlue flight incident on October 30, where an Airbus A320 traveling from Cancun to Newark unexpectedly pitched down, injuring 15 passengers. The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Tampa for medical attention. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board connected this event to a flight control malfunction triggered during a switching process.

In light of these findings, regulatory bodies, including the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA), along with Airbus, issued compulsory directives for operators to update affected systems.

In India, over 350 A320-series aircraft operated by IndiGo and the Air India Group will undergo these essential upgrades, resulting in a temporary reduction in flight capacity throughout the weekend. The update process for newer jets may take less than 30 minutes, while older aircraft could require additional hardware modifications, extending downtime to two or three days. Airlines anticipate resuming normal operations by December 1 or 2.

Meanwhile, Airbus confirmed the rationale behind the mandatory update, stating that heightened solar radiation poses a risk to critical flight control data on certain A320 family jets. This fix aims to mitigate this potential vulnerability and ensure the continued safety of operations.