Software bug in Airbus A350 puts EASA on alert

According to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), a problem of software can lead to loss of elevator control for certain aircraft Airbus A350.

 

The directive issued on May 5 by EASA warns aircraft operators that Airbus A350-900 e -1000 to change your applicable AFM (aircraft flight manual) and Minimum Equipment List due to a software problem that could lead to loss of elevator control.

"An occurrence was reported in which the flight control computers PRIMARY (PRIMs) indicated that both elevator actuators were found to be defective." EASA also states that further investigations revealed that incorrect instructions were implemented with the introduction of the "standard PRIM P13", which is part of the X13 Flight Control and Guidance System (FCGS) standard.

 

Since the effective date for resolving the problem was immediately set for the following days, EASA has also demanded that operators change their applicable AFM, which is subject to a temporary update and revision. The EASA directive also states that they must "inform all flight crews and thereafter operate the aircraft accordingly". Affected operators must also amend the Master Minimum Equipment List of the Airbus A350 (MMEL) in agreement. This is a directive is considered a provisional action, which means that other actions may take place in the coming days.

 

Interestingly, this is not the first bug of software related to Airbus A350. In July 2019, some models of the A350-900 had an aviation problem, which could be fixed by updating the softwareor even turning the aircraft off and on at least once every 149 hours. Carrying out this rudimentary action would have prevented "partial or total loss of some aviation systems or functions".