太陽嵐たいようあらしによる操縦そうじゅうシステムへの影響えいきょうで、エアバスA320シリーズ約やく6000機きに改修かいしゅう義務ぎむ――航空業界こうくうぎょうかいに広ひろがる懸念けねん

Airbus, a leading European aircraft manufacturer, has officially acknowledged that in the event of a powerful solar storm, including solar radiation, pilots may lose control over the operation of some aircraft in the A320 family including the A319, A320, and A321.

As a result, about 6,000 of the worlds most common single-aisle aircraft are now facing a situation where urgent repairs and modifications are required.

According to Airbus, a detailed analysis of recent incidents involving the A320 series has revealed that intense radiation from the sun can damage data crucial to the flight control system, which could result in system malfunctions.

In fact, on October 30th, JetBlue flight 1230 an A320 aircraft was en route from Cancun, Mexico to Newark, New Jersey, USA, when it suddenly descended rapidly, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida.

As a result of this accident, about 15 people were hospitalized.

After investigating this anomaly, Airbus notified airlines around the world on November 28 that repairs to the affected aircraft were necessary.

According to the company, this is the first time the issue has been identified in the A320 series.

The A320 series uses an advanced electronic flight control system called fly-by-wire, in which the pilots inputs are transmitted to the wing control surfaces through computers.

However, if it is found that this system is affected by a solar storm, prompt action is required from the perspective of aviation safety.

According to European Union EU regulations, airlines are not permitted to return the relevant aircraft to commercial service until repairs have been completed.

The repair work is expected to be completed in about two hours for most aircraft, but according to American Airlines, around 340 aircraft require a software upgrade. To minimize the number of grounded flights, the airline plans to focus on this work between the 28th and 29th.

All aircraft modifications are scheduled to be completed by the 30th.

Furthermore, Delta Air Lines announced that fewer than 50 of its A321neo aircraft are affected and that the work is expected to be completed by the morning of the 29th.

United Airlines also owns six of this type of aircraft and has stated that only a very small number of flights have been affected.

On the other hand, JetBlue, which mainly operates A320s and A321s, has not disclosed the number of aircraft that require repairs, but stated in a statement to CNN that it has already begun this work.

This incident demonstrates that fluctuations in solar activity can have unexpected effects on advanced aviation technology, and it could serve as an important lesson for the entire aviation industry.