Thousands of Airbus A320 family aircraft were grounded globally for a software update after it was discovered that solar radiation could interfere with onboard flight control computers. The issue stemmed from a problem with software that calculates a plane’s altitude, potentially causing data corruption at high altitudes. While many aircraft could be updated with a simple software fix, older models required physical computer replacements, leading to potential delays. Airlines worldwide, including in the UK, US, and Australia, experienced varying levels of disruption, with cancellations and delays impacting some flights.
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On December 30th, Lauda Air flight FR748, an Airbus A320 en route from Riga to Vienna, experienced two aborted landings due to GPS jamming. The aircraft diverted to Brno, Czech Republic, due to the interference coupled with low visibility in Vienna. The captain attributed the incident to GPS jamming, stating that landing in Brno was safer given the weather conditions. Ryanair confirmed the technical issue and apologized for the diversion, arranging coach transport for passengers to Vienna. Increased GPS jamming incidents, particularly in the Baltics since 2022, have raised concerns.
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Ryanair flight FR748, operating from Riga to Vienna, diverted to Brno, Czech Republic, due to a technical GPS issue compounded by low visibility at the intended destination. The airline attributed the diversion to a minor technical problem with the GPS system, while Austrian media reported GPS signal disruption over Poland, potentially linked to the Ukraine conflict. Passengers were subsequently transported to Vienna by bus. The affected aircraft was an Airbus A320 operating under the Lauda brand.
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John Q. Hosedrinker