New Delhi: On 30 October, a JetBlue flight from Cancun in Mexico to New Jersey in USA experienced a pitch down event with a brief and limited loss of altitude. The autopilot remained engaged through the drop in altitude, with the flight subsequently making an emergency landing in Florida. Preliminary technical assessment by Airbus indicated that the malfunction was because of solar activity affecting the elevator aileron computer (ELAC). Airbus engineers assessed that in the worst-case scenario, an uncommanded elevator movement may exceed the structural capability of the aircraft, with US and European regulators issuing an urgent technical advisory to operators to install new ELACs on their planes.
A319, A320 and A321 aeroplanes are affected by the problem. According to a press release by Airbus, “Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in-service which may be impacted. Airbus has worked proactively with the aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators via an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) in order to implement the available software and/or hardware protection, and ensure the fleet is safe to fly. This AOT will be reflected in an Emergency Airworthiness Directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).”
How solar storms affect aviation
During the March 1989 geomagnetic storms, transatlantic flights lost comms with air traffic control four hours, with pilots rerouting to avoid polar paths. During the October 2003 ‘Halloween’ storms, planes were diverted to lower altitudes, increasing flight times and adding to fuel costs. In May 2024, there was a radio blackout on the sunlit side of the Earth, disrupting communications by aircraft in remote regions. Pilots reported garbled or lost signals, especially on polar routes. The aviation sector relies on early warnings and forecasts to operate safe flights during periods of elevated solar activity.