Airbus issues A320 software recall after solar‑flare bug
A reported software vulnerability triggered by solar flares has prompted a global recall affecting roughly 6,000 Airbus A320 jets, forcing airlines and regulators into urgent patch management and validation work. The episode is a stark reminder that environmental factors can cascade into aviation software failures and large‑scale recalls. (altitudesmagazine.com)
EASA published Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2025‑0268‑E on November 28, 2025, requiring affected Airbus A320‑family aircraft to have ELAC B units running software standard L104 replaced or modified before further passenger operations. (easa.europa.eu) Airbus issued Alert Operators Transmission A27N022‑25 on the same day, identifying the susceptibility as limited to ELAC B hardware loaded with software standard L104 and offering mitigation pathways to operators. (airbus.com) The manufacturer’s technical bulletin and the AOT point carriers toward restoring ELAC B to the serviceable software baseline L103+ or installing serviceable hardware where a downgrade is not possible. (avherald.com) The triggering event was JetBlue Flight 1230 (registration N605JB) on October 30, 2025, which experienced a pitch excursion at FL350, lost roughly 100 feet and diverted to Tampa International Airport; the NTSB preliminary report documents the event at 17:48 UTC. (data.ntsb.gov) American Airlines identified 209 A320‑family aircraft as impacted and said all of those aircraft had received the required update by 12:00 p.m. CT on November 29, 2025. (cnbc.com) Airbus and regulators reported that operators completed more than 5,000 urgent updates within days of the directive while “around 100” aircraft remained awaiting intervention as fleets were returned to service. (aerotime.aero) The EASA directive grouped aeroplanes into Group 1 (ELAC B L104 installed in configurations defined by the AOT) and Group 2 (not Group 1), prohibited further installation of affected ELACs on Group 2 aircraft, and allowed limited non‑passenger ferry flights only to reposition aircraft for maintenance. (easa.europa.eu)
