Between the evening of Friday, November 28, and Saturday, November 29, Airbus and European aviation authorities mandated a “before next flight” corrective action on a large portion of the A320 fleet (over 6,000 aircraft) following an online event that revealed a vulnerability in a flight control computer.

In its emergency airworthiness directive, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) explained that an A320 experienced an “uncommanded and limited pitch down event” while the autopilot was engaged, leading to a rapid loss of altitude. This occurred on JetBlue Flight 1230 on October 30, 2025. While the flight ended without further incident, Airbus’ preliminary technical analysis identified a malfunction in an ELAC (Elevator Aileron Computer).

The issue was clearly defined and communicated by the authorities. In alert transmission AOT A27N022-25 to operators, Airbus stated that the vulnerability was found “in case of exposure to solar flares” affecting ELAC B hardware loaded with software standard L104. ELAC B with earlier software versions and ELAC E (Enhanced) are not affected. In its statement on November 28, Airbus more broadly described the issue as a situation where “intense solar radiation may alter essential data used by the flight control systems,” prompting a precautionary action via the AOT, which was then quickly formalized in an EASA directive. The safety rationale is clear: if the software is not corrected, it could, in the worst-case scenario, lead to an uncommanded pitch movement.

Concrete Requirements

EASA’s AD 2025-0268-E divides the A320 family into two groups. Group 1 includes aircraft equipped with the affected ELAC system. Group 2 covers all others. For Group 1, each affected ELAC must be replaced or modified before the next flight. A ferry flight is allowed (up to 3 cycles, without passengers, non-ETOPS) to bring the aircraft to a maintenance location. The AOT highlights the industrial urgency. The objective is to revert to the previous software version, L103+, either via download (if the aircraft allows) or by replacing the computers. Airbus estimates about 3 hours of work per aircraft per technician.

A Paradox: L104 Was Designed to Improve Safety

In an Airbus document, the manufacturer explains that the ELAC B L104 standard was developed as a safety enhancement to reduce the risk of in-flight loss of control. Ironically, this safety-focused update introduced a vulnerability serious enough to trigger an immediate corrective action. In the automotive industry, such a large-scale recall might take years and see varied responses by different brands. In this case, Airbus alerted customers and authorities overnight from Friday November 28, 2025 to Saturday, prompting the EASA to require implementation before the next flight for affected aircraft.

Around 6,000 Aircraft Affected

Multiple sources confirm that about 6,000 A320-family aircraft are involved—well over half of the active fleet. Many of these were quickly brought into compliance. For instance, Wizz Air announced on Saturday night that it had “successfully and completely deployed the new software overnight across all its affected Airbus A320 aircraft.” Airbus technical services warn that further AOT revisions are expected as a permanent solution is defined.

Jean-François Bourgain, November 30, 2025 for AeroMorning